Not All As It Seems
by devonshire64
Summary: Sometimes the most innocent of things can get you into a world of trouble.
1. Chapter 1

_hello again everyone. here is my newest story. this story follows the evens of 'something lost' and 'eternal' and is part of the something lost series, which means it features kerri. you dont have to read the others to understand this one, but if you end up liking kerri, there are many more tales to enjoy. :)_

**D: I own nothing, this is all just for fun. **

**NOT ALL AS IS SEEMS**

Chapter 1

The leaves swayed slightly in the gentle breeze, shadows moving through the dense underbrush of the dark forest, twigs snapping here and there. The thick canopy above cast an eerie light over the forest floor, a subtle green glow illuminating the overgrown landscape, shinning down through the leaves, making the sunlight sparkle like bits of jade. It was serene and quiet, the air hanging thick and heavy, thousands of wildflowers sending a sweet perfume through the trees. The deep silence was broken a few moments later, however, by the sound of ever nearing voices and heavy footfalls.

"Dude, you ever hear of a little thing called stealth?"

"Dude, you ever hear of a little thing called, shut your face."

"Nice come back."

"Sam, this hunt's a bust, can we just go?"

"This hunt was your idea. Besides, another couple was killed last night, same M.O. Camped here, six days later, they turned up dead."

"Well hiking all over god's green earth really isn't helping. And, as I recall, camping was not my idea."

"Searching their homes didn't turn up anything. Interviewing their neighbors didn't work. Scouring their pasts gave us a big fat nothing. So tell me, what else did you expect to do?"

"I hate camping." Dean mumbled, pushing ahead of his little brother.

"We're not camping, Dean, we're hiking."

"Same difference. We're still traipsing around the woods."

"Well, anything we may have found was probably scared off by your thunder steps."

"I'm just walking."

"You're stomping."

"Am not."

"Are too, and now you're whining."

"I don't whine."

"Shut up." Sam broke in suddenly, straining his ears to the forest around them.

"You shut up."

"I mean it, be quiet, I think I heard something."

"Sure thing, Spiddy."

Both brothers stood still and silent, waiting, ears and eyes strained, searching the green space around them. And, as Sam listened, he noticed something disturbing. Nothing. There were no birds, no crickets, not even mice, the forest was completely and utterly empty. But he was still sure he had heard something, positive that there had been something in the forest besides them. He scanned the dark area again, his sharp eyes taking in every shadow, studying every ray of light. He was just about to chalk it up to his imagination, when it happened again.

Sam looked over to Dean, his brother's senses kicking in instantly, green eyes scanning the dark forest around them, right hand moving for his gun. They both moved slowly towards the source of the noise, a small bush rattling and shaking so slightly, it was almost imperceptible, an odd sound rising up from the foliage. It was a stranger mixture of rustling and whimpering, the sound so faint that Sam was amazed he heard it in the first place.

Sam inched closer to the shrub, Dean taking point as he peered in to the small, quivering mass of leaves. The strange noise grew steadily louder as he approached, his senses all on high alert, ready for whatever may be hiding in the dense undergrowth of the forest. But, the moment he pulled back the leafy branches, his heart jumped up into his throat. Because there before him, sitting on the muddy ground, was a small child, and the very last thing he had expected to see.

"Sam, what is it?" Dean's voice broke through the deafening silence that had descended upon Sam when he saw the boy.

"It's a kid."

"A kid what?"

"What do you mean 'a kid what'? A kid."

"Holy crap." Dean breathed, inching closer and eyeing the child.

"Num?" The little boy sniffed, chewing on his small fingers, his big blue eyes shifting between the brothers. "Num, num?"

"What are you doing?" Dean asked as Sam kneeled, still smiling at the terrified child.

"I think he's hungry."

"Yeah, and?"

"And, I'm going to give him some crackers." Sam stated, rummaging through his back pack.

"You have crackers?"

"Yeah, can we focus here?"

"Whatever." Dean mumbled, grabbing a peanut butter cracker and throwing it in his mouth.

Sam just rolled his eyes, holding another of the cracker sandwiches out to the timid child. The little boy's eyes slid between the cracker and Dean before he reached out, tossing the entire snack into his mouth just as Dean had.

"Whoa, kid, not so fast." Sam jumped forward when the boy began to cough, trying to get some of the cracker out of his mouth before he chocked. But despite his close call, the boy still chewed on the snack, most of the cracker falling to to the ground.

"Way to go, Dean."

"Hey, I never told him to follow my example." Dean defended, bits of crackers falling from his mouth as well.

"Num." The baby began again, standing and pushing Sam's hand away, completely content to rummage around the back pack on his own. He smiled a moment later, pulling a water bottle from the bag in triumph. He then leaned back against Sam and, much to the younger Winchester's dismay, placed his entire spit and cracker soaked mouth over the top of the bottle and drank.

"Dude, you're like the big friendly giant." Dean mused, taking a sip from his spit free water bottle.

Sam just shook his head, grabbing the bag of crackers and securing the water bottle to the side of his pack before slinging it over his shoulders. He then scooped up the kid, following his brother out of the forest as the little boy continued to munch happily on the crackers.

They walked on like that for the better part of an hour, the boy periodically asking Sam for 'num, num' and 'ba,ba'. Dean snickered ahead of them, glancing back at the awkward pair, the front of Sam's shirt covered with a gross looking mixture of water, drool and cracker crumbs.

They had entered the forest in search of a spirit, but they came out with a child and a hell of a lot more questions. By the looks of the baby Sam guessed that he had been missing for at least a day, maybe more. But there was nothing about it on the news, no search parties combing the area, and that was something that Sam just didn't understand. After all, the kid couldn't have been more than two feet high, how far could he possibly walk?

As soon as he was sure the kid was fed and content, Sam shoved the crackers into his pocket, shifting the baby against his chest as he searched the back of his shirt and coveralls for a tag.

"I don't think it will fit you, Sam."

"I'm looking for a name tag, smart ass."

"People put name tags on their kids?"

"Some do."

"Why?"

"In case they get lost. You know, like right now."

"Find anything, jerk."

"Uh yeah. There's a name, but no address and no phone number."

"Well how the hell is that supposed to help?"

"Got me."

"So, you building up suspense or something?"

"No, why?"

"So you're just gonna keep his name a secret between the two of you."

"Oh sorry. Jacob Robinson."

"Alright, so cracker kid's got a name, but no address and there's no one looking for him."

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up."

"Is he alright?" Dean asked suddenly, breaking his way through a heavy group of branches.

"Of course he's alright, why?"

"He's quiet. Are you sure he hasn't stopped breathing or something."

"What! He's still breathing, Dean."

"Then why's he so quiet?"

"Because he's sleeping."

Dean turned to face his brother, baby Jake being held tightly against the large man's chest, his little arms wrapped around Sam's neck, face pressed into his shoulder, fast asleep.

666666666666

Jake was still sound asleep in Sam's arms two hours later as the impala charged down the highway. They hadn't passed a single ranger station on the way out of the forest, hell they hadn't even passed another human being along the road, and so, they decided that the best course of action was to keep the boy with them. Yes, they could have dropped him off at a police station or hospital, but Sam just couldn't shake the feeling that the kid was somehow involved. And Dean, for reasons he wouldn't share with Sam, agreed to keep the little guy around.

"Dude, 5-0."

Sam quickly pulled a blanket up over Jake, concealing the sleeping toddler from view as the cop car raced by.

"Yeah." Sam began, lowering the quilt. "We're the poster boys for child safety."

"Yeah well, it's better than letting him roll around in the back seat. It's not like we have a kiddie-seat for him or anything."

"Point taken. We're we going?"

"Valley."

"What, why?"

"Because, it's not that far and there's plenty of room. Besides, what if there is an APB out for the kid. We'd look real good checking into a motel with a missing baby."

Despite his brother's very logical thinking, Sam wasn't buying it. "You're gonna try to pawn him off and Kerri, aren't you?"

"I'm not gonna pawn him off on anyone. I just figured she could help."

"How?"

"I don't know. He's a baby, don't women have some kind of built in radar for that or something?"

"Have you ever actually sat down and had a serious conversation with a woman?"

"Yeah, I mean, I'm sure it's happened a couple of times."

"Whatever, dude." Sam smiled, sliding further into the seat, his arms tightening around the boy. "What?"

"What?"

"What, what?"

"What, what, what?"

"Dean, what the hell do you want?"

"Why're you smiling?"

"I'm not smiling."

"Yeah, you are. A big, stupid, smirk kind of smile."

"You do know that she's not just gonna take him and let you go on your merry way."

"Dude, I know."

"You're gonna have to feed him and change his diaper."

"Not me, you're the one that found him, Sasquatch."

"Huh?"

Before Dean, would answer, Jake stirred, hiccuping a few times before turing towards the window and settling back down to sleep. And Sam followed suit, leaning back into the seat and allowing the rhythmic rumble of the impala's engine lull him to sleep.

The pair laid like that for several hours, their breathing slow and even as the day slowly turning into night. Dean relaxing as he drove, glancing over at his brother and Jake, watching the two as they slept. Dean couldn't get over how much the toddler resembled his brother, the little boy having the same moppy brown hair, and the same mischievous smile that Dean remembered as patented Sammy. Hell, had it not been for the kid's blue eyes, he would have thought his baby brother had stumbled upon a time machine.

He eyed them one more time before turning back to the road, following the exit for Valley, and for Kerri. After their last hunt he'd promised that he wouldn't stay away, wouldn't cut her out of his life again, and it was a promise he was determined to keep. After all, he had once promised to keep her safe, and he had failed miserably, so now, he was more determined than ever to keep his promise, to not let her down. Kerri had lost her entire family during his twelve year absence, had been forced to watch the Yellow Eyed Demon rip her sister from her arms, pinning her to the ceiling as the room burned. And her father, well he just wouldn't leave without his baby girl.

To be honest, Dean hadn't been at all surprised to hear of Tom's reaction to Evelyn's death. He was a good man, he really was, but something changed in his mind when his wife died. Evelyn became his world, his life, his soul, and even though he didn't consciously mean to, Kerri got pushed to the side. She was just so quiet, so self reliant, so mature for her young age, and that made it all the easier to forget her. And, even though Kerri pretended that she didn't care, Dean knew that it was slowly killing her.

The impala wove its way through the streets of Valley, Dean following a path he had memorized over twenty years before. It was like going home, like waking from a long nightmare. And it had been that way ever since he was small. As soon as his father turned off the highway, Dean knew he was mere moments from the house, and from Kerri and her family. It was the one place in all the world where he felt normal, where he was accepted, appreciated. The only place he knew of where he could really be himself.

Because, no matter what, Kerri had never once judged him, and he knew that she never would. But there was more to it that that, and Dean just couldn't wrap his mind around that simple fact. It was more than having a friend, more than being normal. There was something about Kerri, something about Valley that he missed, whether he was on the other side of the country, or just beyond the city limits. There was something about going back there that made his heart ache. And that was something time and fate didn't stand a chance against.

He turned onto the long drive, the broken fence and lopsided mailbox the only clue that a house was at the end of the road. Kerri's home was secluded to say the least, and that was something Dean both loved and hated about it. He loved it because it was like a different world, a place where everyone was a hunter, where he didn't have to hide the truth about who he was. But then, it was also lonely and terrifying at times, help being miles away if needed. But, like everything else in his life, Dean took the good with the bad.

He parked the impala by one of the old sheds, sitting in the car for a few more minutes, taking in every inch of the house. It was falling apart. Kerri had been alone in it for far too long, the old house requiring far more work than she could do. He could see patch jobs here and there, but it wasn't nearly enough to cover up for the structure's lack of up keep. And Dean couldn't help but sigh. It had been so different all those years ago, so full of life, so welcoming. But now, well now it was crumbling and fading, and Dean was afraid that someday, it would be gone for good.


	2. Chapter 2

_hello again everyone. sorry for the long wait, but i've been on vacation. thank you all once again for the great reviews, i am glad you are all enjoying the story. on with the show. :)_

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 2

Kerri sat in the room off the back of her kitchen, legs crossed, easel set up before her. She had been trying to draw for the better part of the past two hours, but with her right arm still in a sling, she ended up producing nothing but frustration. She had been shot a mere three weeks ago, but to the twenty nine year old, it felt like it had just happened the day before. She could still hear the sound of the gun shot, still feel the overwhelming pain radiating through her body. Hell, she had even woken in the middle of the night, sure she had been shot again the pain was so intense.

And, worse still was that she could still see Dean, still see him on the marble floor, writhing in pain as the connection between them and the painting was broken. It was almost like he was dying as well, Tir-na-nog ripping from his soul the youth and life it had given him, pulling it from him with no thought to his life at all. But it was nothing compared to what the painting had done to William Bramhurst, and for that, Kerri was grateful. Because, she wouldn't know what she would do if Dean Winchester were turned to dust because of her.

She sat up a little straighter, cracking her back while she stared at the paper, left handed drawing really not working out. She had only been in the sling for a few weeks, but she was already going stir crazy. She usually spent her days doing a mixture of activities, whether it was making her stained glass windows, filling out an order for ammo, or researching a hunt for a passing hunter, there was always something to keep her busy. But now that she couldn't use her right arm, all that changed. Working with metal was a definite no, as was any kind of drawing or painting. And so, she had decided to catch up on the research requests that had been piling up on her desk. But, without the other, usual distractions, all her research took a grand total of eleven days. And now, well now she was just plain bored.

Kerri stilled the moment she heard it, the sound she had memorized over two decades before. The deep rumble, the way the tires crunched the gravel beneath them, the sound of the suspension, everything, even down to the creak of the doors. It was the impala. She stood up slowly, listening as the brothers' voices floated in through the back window on the early evening air. Dean told her they'd be back, but there was still a part of her that didn't believe him. After all, Sam and Dean were hunters, and she knew that there were no promises in that life, no matter how many times Dean tried to tell her different.

She had been around hunters all her life, and, despite her protests, the brothers had managed to get her to go on a few hunts with them. She knew the dangers of the job, knew the reality that each day could be your last, no matter what. But still Dean promised, still he took on both heaven and hell to keep his word, and Kerri was both grateful and scared. Because, in all honesty, she was afraid of the lengths to which Dean would go to keep those promises.

Kerri made her way out of the back room just as the brothers began climbing the stairs. She could heard their footfalls on the old wood, the sound bringing back a myriad of memories. She had always based her assumptions of people on how they walked, on the sound, the way they climbed the stairs. Some climbed with heavy feet, almost as though they were reluctant to go forward, forced to take each and every step. Those were the broken men, the ones that had lost too much to ever be whole again.

And then there were those who bounded up the stairs, their footfalls still heavy, but moving forward with determination and life. And Sam and Dean were among those men. They weren't defeated yet, hadn't given up on hope, on the possibility that things could all work out. And Kerri prayed that neither of them ever did. They were what kept her believing, what kept her from giving into the void that had become her life. So much was gone, taken from her, erased from her world, but she always held on to the naive belief that the boys would come back. And they did.

"Kerri?" Dean called from the kitchen, just as she rounded the corner.

"Hey."

"Hey? This is the second time I've broken into your house. Did you not listen to anything I said last time?"

"Wow, nice to see you, too."

"Come on, Kerri, this stuff's important."

"I know it's important, but I'm fine here, Dean."

"How's your arm?" Dean asked after a few moment's silence, his weight shifting from one foot to the other, hands resting on the counter.

"It's been better. Where's Sam?"

"I'm right back here." Sam answered from the door, smiling at Kerri. But she was at a complete loss for words at the sight that greeted her.

It was definitely the last thing she ever expected, but there it was, right in front of her eyes. There in Sam's arms, smiling and hanging onto the man's shirt was a little boy.

"Oh." Sam began, obviously seeing the way she was staring at the kid. "This is Jake."

"He's cute, Sam." Kerri smiled, watching as the baby tried to wave at her and Dean, his little hand opening and closing without much rhythm. "How old is he?"

"We don't know."

"You don't know?"

Realization dawned on Sam when his brother began to snicker, his eyes growing wide, mouth opening and closing a few times, almost like he was a fish searching for water.

"He's not mine." Sam nearly shouted, making the little boy on his hip jump. "Why'd you think he was?"

"I'm sorry. It's just--."

"Just what?"

"Oh man." Dean laughed, walking over and taking the kid from his still stunned brother, and saving Kerri from the younger man's interrogation. "You're gonna make a great dad someday. And before you ask, he's not mine either."

"If he isn't yours then where the hell'd he come from?"

"Um, we found him."

"You found him? Dean, he's not a puppy."

"Oh really? Because, you know, I couldn't tell."

"Do you know how many people are probably out looking for him?" Kerri asked, her voice rising as she spoke. She had always considered Sam and Dean pretty smart guys, a little reckless, but still pretty sharp. But now she wasn't so sure.

"That's the thing." Sam broke in. "There wasn't anyone looking for him."

"What?"

"Big empty forest, little guy in the middle of it all alone." Dean began, rubbing Jake's back when his bottom lip began to tremble, the raised voices obviously scaring the small child.

"There wasn't anyone, anywhere?"

"Not a soul."

"Then, how do you know his name?"

"It was printed on the tag of his coveralls." Sam answered, now standing a good couple feet from the child. "Jacob Robinson."

"Well, let me do a search and find out who he really belongs to, I'm sure they're worried sick." She couldn't believe that the brothers would have taken a baby from the middle of the forest without at least trying to figure out where he belonged. That's what police stations and hospitals were for. But then, no matter how smart either of them were, the boys sometimes lacked a little bit of common sense.

"Alright." Dean began, shifting the boy in his arms, leaning him towards Kerri. "Here you go."

"What do I want him for?"

"You're gonna go look for his parents, right?"

"Yeah, but what's he gonna do, help me type."

"Yeah, but--."

"But nothing, Winchester. You brought him here, you look after him." Kerri smirked, knowing full well that Dean was better equipped at caring for children than she was. After all, he'd done a damn good job of raising Sam. Evelyn, well that was a different story. "What were you two doing in the forest anyway?"

"Hunting."

"Hunting what?"

"We have a theory."

"Dean, has a theory." Sam corrected, his older brother glaring at him.

"And what's that?"

"Well, a bunch of couples have gone camping in this one place. Then, a few days later, they all turn up dead in their homes."

"What do you think it is?"

"Hitchhiking ghosts. But you know, the homicidal, non-disney world kind."

"Hitchhiking ghosts? That's kind of weak, Dean."

"Whatever, you go figure out where cracker kid belongs. We'll be here looking for some dinner."

"Fridge is all yours."

"I'll come and help." Sam chimed in, following Kerri up the stairs, leaving Dean and Jake alone.

"So." Kerri began a few moments later, both she and Sam weaving their way through the narrow halls. "Couldn't talk Dean into leaving him somewhere?"

"Actually, it was my idea to keep him with us."

"Really? Why?"

"I don't now, I just have this feeling."

"Like he's got something to do with the hitchhiking ghosts?"

"Yeah, and the fact that I'm positive that whatever's behind it isn't a hobo from an amusement park ride."

"You gotta admit, though, Dean knows his pop culture."

"Yeah, a little too well if you ask me."

"Hey, Kerri?" Sam began a few minutes later, the pair turning into her room. "Why'd you ask if it was Dean that wanted to keep the kid?"

"Same reason I asked if he was yours." Kerri stated off hand, surprised when Sam still looked a little clueless.

"Sam, he looks just like you."

"What?"

"Well, all except for the blue eyes, he's like a mini you. You didn't notice?"

"No."

"Yeah well, check out some of the pictures around here and you'll see. Now, let's find out who he belongs to." Kerri began, taking her laptop and sitting on the bench of the bay window. Sam sat down beside her, but instead of leaning in to see the computer he stared, almost transfixed out the window, lost in thought. Kerri just sighed, turning back to the screen, knowing Sam would join in when ready.

The pair searched the internet as best they could, scouring page after page of information, the night growing darker beyond the large window. Needless to say there were a lot of 'Jacob Robinsons' in America, but, after about an hour and forty minutes of searching, Kerri spoke up.

"There he is. Jacob Robinson. He's from Colorado."

"How old?"

"Uh, twenty two months. There's an address and phone number here too, Sam."

"Yeah, alright." Sam mumbled, pulling his cell phone from his pocket.

"Look, Sam, I know that you have a weird vibe about all this, and I believe you, I do. But we can't keep this kid from his mother."

"I know, you're right. It's just….. I don't know, something's not right about all this." Sam sighed, turning to the other side of the room, leaving Kerri alone as he called the little boy's parents. A few minutes later, Kerri heard him speak.

666666666666

"Hello, may I please speak with a Mrs. Robinson?" Sam began, his voice indifferent, ready to take the conversation wherever he needed to to get answers.

"This is she." A chipper voice answered, taking Sam by surprise. She really didn't sound like a woman with a missing child.

"Um." Sam began, trying to figure out who he was going to be today, when the woman broke in.

"Jake, honey." He heard her yell, a loud noise sounding from somewhere in the distance. "Jake, we don't throw things, baby."

Sam froze listening to the woman as she spoke, the tell tale sounds of a baby in the background. But it couldn't be, Jake was here with him.

"I'm sorry, Sir. You were saying?"

"Yes, my name is Sam Peters, I'm with the Medicine Bow national park." Sam began, shaking his head as Kerri gave him a puzzled look. "We have in our records that you stayed in the campsites recently."

"Yes, Sir, is there a problem?"

"Oh no, I just wanted to know if you enjoyed your stay."

"Oh yes, it was wonderful. It was our first time there and we loved it."

"May I ask who you were camping with?"

"My husband and son."

"And do you just have the one child?"

"Yes, just little Jake."

"One last question ma'am. How old is your son?"

"He's twenty two months. We thought that maybe he was too young for it, but he did great. He's even got more energy since we've been back. My husband keeps joking that camping has turned him into a little monster."


	3. Chapter 3

_hello!! thank you all once again for the great reviews, i am glad you are enjoying it. a little bit more info is in store... hope everyone enjoys the next chapter. :)_

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 3

Dean and Jake sat side by side at the worn kitchen table, their mouths full, faces covered with little bits of food. Had it not been for the hight difference it would have been hard to tell who was a toddler and who wasn't. Jake swung his little legs as the stack of books Dean had him on swayed, but thankfully refused to fall. It had been a very long time since Kerri's house had harbored a small child, but Jake looked like he belonged there just as much as any of them. This was how that house was supposed to be, how Dean had remembered it being all those years ago. Full of laughter, full of life, full of sound; not the empty shell it had now become.

It was never just a house in his mind, never just a building. It was the only place he had ever thought of as 'home' after his mother had been killed. He had learned to live again here, learned to be a kid again within its walls, and he learned to be a hunter on its grounds. It wasn't dark then, wasn't full of dust and half faded memories. No, back then it was bright, alive and whole, and Dean's heart broke every time he thought about what had been lost.

He was brought out of his thoughts by what sounded like stomping coming from the floors above, some one obviously running along one of the upper halls. Dean smiled a bit to himself; even after his twelve year absence, he could still intensify every sound the aging structure made. He shoved another fork full of food into his mouth, eyes sliding to Jake as the sounds from above continued.

"What are they doing up there?" Dean asked, shaking his head. Jake mimicked him, shaking his head and trying to roll his eyes before grabbing another handful of food and shoving it in his mouth.

"Sam!" Kerri's voice echoed through the building, the footsteps growing louder and louder by the moment.

"What the hell." Dean mumbled, his curiosity rising. What in the world could Sam and Kerri possibly be doing?

"Sam, slow down!"

But Sam didn't seem to hear her, that younger hunter rounding the corner a few seconds later, moving as fast as his long legs could carry him. It was immediately obvious that Sam had left Kerri in the dust, her hurried footsteps still pounding over head. Whatever got Sam moving, was something he had yet to share.

"Dude, what the hell?"

But Sam just continued on past his brother, taking no notice of the older man as he approached his target. His deep brown eyes bored into Jake's blue ones, the toddler staring up at the hunter innocently, bits of hot dogs and macaroni still clutched in his little fists.

"Christo." Sam nearly whispered, his eyes never leaving the child before him. But instead of flinching, instead of shrinking back at the force of the name, Jake merely studied Sam for a moment before turning back to his plate.

"Are you high?" Dean asked incredulously, his eyes still shifting between his brother and Jake.

"What part of slow down don't you understand?" Kerri scolded breathlessly as she entered the kitchen. "What?" She asked, seeing Sam and Dean now staring each other down.

"Sam just Christo'ed the baby."

"What? Why? Sam, what happened on the phone?"

"I was talking to Jake's mom." Sam breathed, still watching Jake as though he could sprout a second head at any second.

"Well, unless she's Satan's bride I don't really think that requires christoing the kid." Dean reprimanded, ruffling the little boy's hair.

"She's got Jake with her."

"Huh?"

"I heard him in the background."

"Well, are you sure you had the right, Jake?" Dean asked, still wondering why his brother ran down the stairs like a bat out of hell.

"Positive. I asked her about the campsite and everything."

"Hey." Kerri began, finally catching her breath. "I'm sure there's an explanation. I mean, maybe he's just wearing Jake's outfit? What?" She asked, both brothers rolling their eyes at her half-assed answer.

"What I wanna know." Dean began, giving Kerri another look before turning to Sam. "Is why you tore down here like the world was ending."

Sam turned at the question, the counter suddenly very interesting, as he mumbled something to no one in particular. The moment had passed and Dean could tell that his little brother was starting to see just how much he had over-reacted to the situation. Hell, for all they knew Kerri could be right, their only real bit of information was a name written on the inside of his coveralls.

"Come again?" Dean pressed, wondering if there was more to the story then his brother would let on.

"I was worried." Sam answered reluctantly.

"Worried? About what?"

"Well, you know, I thought maybe you were down here alone with a demon."

Dean couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face, the older hunter doing everything he could to hold in the laughter that was beating to get out. He understood his brother's concern, he really did. Sam was worried about him, he thought he was with a demon. But still.

"Sam." Dean began, having to stop to compose himself again. "I appreciate your concern, man. But, you know, he's two."

"Shut up." Sam growled, Kerri shrugging off her laughter as a fit of coughing. "He still could have been dangerous."

"Oh man, Sammy. The day I get attack by something two feet tall is the day you should just put me down. But don't worry, dude, if I ever do get attacked by a baby, you'll be the first person I call."

"You're a freaking jerk. Both of you." Sam added, pointing at a still snickering Kerri.

"I'm sorry, Sam." She sighed, finally regaining some composure. "What did that woman say to you anyway? I mean, one minute you were chatting on the phone and the next you flew out of the room at mach five."

"Like I said, I heard the kid in the background. He was making a ton of noise and she yelled for him to stop." Sam began, obviously thankful that Kerri hadn't pressed the matter further. Dean, on the other hand, well he was never going to let his brother live this down.

Sam ran downstairs to save him from a thirty pound kid. Dean couldn't really blame him though. Hell, if he thought that his brother was with a possibility possessed kid he probably would have acted exactly the same. Besides, appearances could often be deceiving, that was something Dean learned long ago. But Dean just couldn't stop himself from laughing at the image in his head. For some reason, all he could think about was himself, getting tossed around by Jake, and it was morbidly amusing.

"That's all she said?" Kerri asked, bringing Dean back into the moment at hand.

"No." Sam began slowly, standing and facing Jake once again. "She said they were worried he was too little for camping, but that he did great. She even said it made him more outgoing and active, kind of like it turned him into a little monster."

"So wait." Dean began, the image in his head finally dissipating. "You think we've got the real Jake and she's got something else?"

"Kerri, come with me." Sam started, grabbing Kerri's uninjured arm and pulling her towards the basement door. "Dean, stay here with Jake."

"Stay with Jake, what am I a freaking nanny?" Dean mumbled, grabbing the boy and followed his brother and Kerri.

He caught up to the pair at the car, both Sam and Kerri rifling through papers, their words muffled by the impala. They were going over the research again like little kids, the two talking so fast that, even when Dean actually made it to their sides, he still had trouble understanding what they were saying. Jake didn't seem to mind the commotion at all, instead choosing to play with the buttons on Dean's shirt, his dirty fingers leaving little bits of his lunch everywhere.

"What has you two all excited?"

"Dean." Sam stood so fast that Dean was sure the young man had given himself whiplash. "Dude, we missed something."

"What?"

"All the families, they each had a little kid."

"All of them?"

"Yeah, all of them. It wasn't in the news reports, I don't know if they're keeping it low key or what, but all the families had a small child."

"Were the kids found in the house, you know, with the parents?"

"It doesn't say anything one way or another, but I don't think so."

"Well then where the hell are they?"

"I don't know." Sam shrugged, his enthusiasm waning. "I mean, this thing could maybe just take the kid, or they're bodies were just too small to have anything left. I mean, the parents were pretty ripped up."

"Or." Kerri began, still staring at the crime scene photos. "The kids weren't there in the first place."

"Come again?"

"Korrigans."

"Kori-whos?" Dean asked, pushing down Jake's hand as it moved to his face.

"Korrigans. Changelings."

Realization suddenly dawned on both Sam and Dean, the brothers turning towards the little boy with renewed interest. Dean couldn't help but feel for him; all alone, his parents in danger, if not already gone. But instead of seeing the true magnitude of the situation, instead of understanding the fear, Jake just sat in Dean's arms without a care in the world. He was smiling, moppy brown hair covered in pasta and cheese, inquisitive eyes turned toward Dean, faith and trust shining through the orbs. And suddenly, instantly, Dean was thrown back in time, his mind drowned in memories.

He could still hear Sam's questions, still see his deep imploring eyes burning into him, begging him for answers. "Dea, what's daddy hunt?"

It had been an innocent question asked by a small child, but the memory of it still sent chills through Dean's body. Because it was that day, at that moment, that Dean realized he had to be more careful of Sam. He had always thought that is brother was too little to understand, and he had hoped that by the time Sam was old enough, they would have found the thing that killed their mom. But then, life never usually works out the way you plan and, against everything Dean tried, Sam grew to be a hunter.

And to Dean, it was both a blessing and a curse. Yes, he got to be with his brother, with his family, but he also knew that Sam would always be in danger. A fact that was almost enough to make him to tell Sam to go his own way, to leave him behind. Almost.

"You still with us, Winchester?" Kerri's voice broke through the haze that had settled around Dean, the older hunter turning towards his brother and Kerri, Jake humming happily as he played with the buttons.

"Yeah. Why?"

"You sort of zoned out over there."

"I was just thinking."

"Don't strain yourself."

"So, changelings?"

"Yeah. I mean, historically, they're ravenous monsters. Usually the parent changelings trade their babies for better behaved human ones. The baby changeling, being a monster, usually lasts with the family for a little bit, then grows either hungry or dangerous and kills them. Do you know how long we have?"

"Wait, hungry?" Dean asked, shifting Jake to his other hip.

"Changelings eat raw meat."

"That's gross."

"Well, it's always been six days. And the Robinsons left the campsite three days ago." Sam broke in, his eyes drifting to Jake, obviously thinking a lot of the same things Dean had. They both knew they had to stop this, had to keep an innocent little boy from becoming yet another victim.

"I think there's something else we have to worry about, guys."

"Yeah?" Dean and Sam both asked in unison.

"Well, changelings don't just give their kids up, they trade."

"So, if we have the real Jake." Sam began.

"And the Robinsons have the changeling." Dean added.

"Then there's a couple of pissed off Korrigans out there looking for a kid." Kerri finished, all eyes now turning to the quiet little boy in Dean's arms.


	4. Chapter 4

_thank you all so much for the great reviews. sorry for the long wait, i couldnt seem to get my brain to work. This chapter is a little bit shorter, but i wanted to get it up before i went away. hope you all enjoy. :)_

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 4

Kerri sat at the kitchen table, laptop opened in front of her, eyes glued to the screen. They only had three short days to figure this all out, or Jake was going to become an orphan. It was a race against time and she knew that losing was not an option. She had been forced to live without her family for years, an orphan at the age of twenty-six. It wasn't something any child should ever have to go through, and she was going to make sure that Jake returned to his parents. All three safe and happy, and, if possible, still innocently unaware of the supernatural world around them.

Sam shifted beside her, cracking his neck, papers spread out on the table before him. They had been researching for the better part of the last hour, trying to dig up everything they could about Korrigans and Changelings. They needed to know exactly what they were up against, but the two were having trouble deciphering fairy tales from reality. There had been so much written about them over the years; so many stories told and retold. Hell, there were even articles in medical journals explaining how the myths might have started in the first place.

"He's asleep." Dean whispered a few minutes later, coming out of the back room. "So don't either of you start jumping around and shouting."

"Oh man, we were just gonna start cheering, too." Kerri answered, shooting Dean a look.

"Did you two find anything?" Dean scowled, sitting down opposite his brother and Kerri.

"That's the problem." Sam began, rubbing his tired eyes. "We found too much."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's more than we need."

"Smart-ass."

"You're the one that asked me the stupid question."

"Guys."

"Alright." Dean started again, kicking his brother beneath the table. Sam jumped and scowled, but didn't pursue the childish argument. "So did anything stand out as maybe being true?"

"Well." Sam began, pulling a few papers from the bottom of a pile. "Korrigans date back pretty far, and they have a solid origin.

"They're described in most sources as fairies, but a few also list them as druidesses. They're all female and have a certain distain for anything christian, but love pretty, well-behaved human children. There's tons of different myths on Changelings, but most are based on the myth of Korrigans."

"So." Dean began leaning back in his chair. "The Korrigans themselves aren't the Changelings, they just replace human babies with them."

"Yeah."

"Well then where the hell do they get the Changelings from in the first place?"

"It's pretty vague. No myth really says where they come from, just that fairies, trolls or Korrigans trade them with humans."

"Alright. So, what do these suckers look like?"

"Well that's the thing." Kerri chimed in, her blue eyes still trained on the computer screen. "Some sources describe them as beautiful women with long hair and red flashing eyes, but others say they are little men with red eyes and goat hooves for feet."

"So, it could be a hot chick, or a funky looking dude." Dean reasoned, though he seemed to be slipping into his own world of thought.

"Yeah."

"Um, it'd be nice if it was the hot chick." Dean mumbled, closing his eyes.

"Well, the 'hot chick' variety is described a lot like siren, sitting by a well or stream and luring unsuspecting me towards them."

"Um, hot chick."

"Do you need a moment alone, Winchester?"

"Naw, I'm good." Dean answered absently as he leaned back in the chair, eyes still closed.

"Anyway." Kerri began, shooting Dean a look somewhere between a smirk and a scowl before turning to Sam. "From everything I can find, I think they're a type of shape-shifter."

"So." Sam broke in looking up from his paperwork. "You think a silver bullet would do it?"

"Yeah, I mean, that's the only real staple of shape-shifter lore. The one problem is that, even though they're normally small, they're supposed to have the strength of two men."

"So, no fighting it."

"I would advise against it."

"We should head back to the forest then."

"Actually, I think our only real option is to go to Colorado and get the Changeling."

"Why? We should get this thing finished at the source."

"Yeah, but did you see any signs of it there? Besides, who's to say it hasn't already left looking for the parents."

"If that's the case then the parents are in danger from both sides. They've got the Changeling that's gonna hulk out on them in a few days, and they're got the Korrigan after them, too."

"That's why I think Colorado's the better option."

"Yeah, but I don't think it will be all that easy to just get the Changeling and run." Sam began, rubbing his eyes.

"Why not?" Dean chimed in, finally opening his eyes.

"Dean, he's a baby. I mean, we can't just break in and steal someone's kid."

"It's not their kid, we already decided that, Sammy."

"Yeah well, they don't know that."

"So we swap them."

"And what do you think will happen if we get spotted and there's two Jakes?"

"Come on, Dude, we're not gonna get caught."

Sam just shot his brother the, we-always-get-caught look before turning back to the papers in front of him, mumbling beneath his breath.

"Look." Kerri began, smiling a little. She missed having the brothers around, missed their banter, their voices. The house was so quiet and empty now that her father and sister were gone, and having Sam and Dean there reminded her of better times, brighter time. "We've only got three days till the thing turns cannibal and eats the parents. I think the first step should just be to get that thing away from them."

"And what about momma Korrigan? I mean, it does want baby Jake." Dean asked, the front legs of the chair smacking the old wood floor as he leaned forward.

"Dean's right, do you really want to swap the babies when the Korrigan could be there, too?" Sam asked, his eyes drifting towards the back room.

Kerri knew he was right, knew that the dangers were just too high. The Korrigan wanted Jake more than the Changeling, and if that meant leaving him in Valley, then that was what they would have to do. They would just have to find some way of reuniting Mr. And Mrs. Robinson with the real Jake after it was all over; and not get caught in the process.

"I guess you're gonna have to leave Jake here, and go for the Changeling." Kerri answered after a few moment's silence. They were treading on thin ice and she knew it.

"Alright." Dean broke in, standing. "So Sammy and I are gonna stake out the parents, and make sure nothing goes after them. You gonna be ok here with Jake?" He asked, turning towards Kerri, concern evident in his deep green eyes. Kerri knew he was feeling it, too. Something was off, but she just couldn't figure out what it was.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

66666666666

Dean sat, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, his mind miles away from the road beneath him. He had a bad feeling in the pit if his stomach that he just couldn't shake. Something wasn't right. He didn't know how he knew, he just knew, something about this hunt was off. It all just seemed a little too easy, all the answers falling into place a little too quickly. There were so many questions still left unanswered, and Dean just couldn't let his suspicions rest.

How did Jake get away from the Korrigan in the first place? How do the parents not realize that their kid isn't actually human? And how did a Korrigan wind up in a forest in Wyoming to begin with? Those were just a few of the questions bouncing around the hunter's mind, knocking against the side of his head, begging for answers. He was missing something, of that he was certain, but he just couldn't figure out what.

"You sure we got everything, Sam?"

"For the last time, yes." Sam signed, his head still resting against the cool passenger side window. "Why do you keep asking me?"

"This doesn't seem off to you?"

"Dean, we're hunting a Changeling, what part of that should seem normal?"

"You know that's not what I mean, smart ass."

"Everything's fine. We've got three days to watch this thing. I mean, we know it's a type of shape-shifter, so we know how to get rid of it."

"And if it isn't?"

"Dean--."

"Hear me out, Sam. I mean, how do we even know we're the ones with the right Jake."

"I don't know, but I would assume we have the right kid."

"You know what happens when you assume."

"Look, Dean, all the info points to a Changeling. I mean, all the other families had a little kid and they weren't found with the parents."

"Still Sam, there's so much we don't know."

"Since when are you all, shoot later, ask questions first?"

"It's just, I don't want to leave Kerri high and dry. She's already hurt."

"She'll be fine, Dean, the Korrigan's got no clue that we've got the real kid. If that is what we're actually hunting, that is." Sam added after Dean shot him a look.

"Sam--."

"Everything's gonna be fine, Dean."

Dean turned his eyes back to the road, his grip tightening on the steering wheel as the impala sped down the open highway. His brother was right, deep down he knew that, but there was still something eating away at him, a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't shake. Something wasn't right.

All of his instincts were screaming at him to turn around, to gun the engine all the way back to Valley. He wanted to be with Kerri, to make sure that she didn't suffer from another one of his mistakes. Because, lord only knew how many times she'd been the one to pay the price for his screw ups. He couldn't do that to her again, couldn't put her in harms way, leave her alone when he wasn't at all sure what was going on.

What if that wasn't the real Jake? What if this wasn't a Changeling at all? There were just too many questions racing around his mind, fighting for dominance, forcing him to second guess his actions. Sam and Kerri seemed more that certain that it was a Changeling, and hell, he was pretty damn sure, too. But something still didn't fit, and Dean knew that he wouldn't be able to rest until he figured out what was really going on.

6666666666666

The forest swayed and bellowed as the winds blew, a thin layer of fog drifting over the valleys and hills, reaching out towards its goal. She could feel him, her need for the child growing. They had stolen him from her, taken away what was rightfully hers, and she wanted it back. The Korrigan raised blood red eyes to the old house before her, the place dim and quiet in the early evening air. He was right there, just beyond the doors, and she wasn't about to let anyone, or anything stand in the way of her prize.


	5. Chapter 5

_hello there, everyone. thank you all so much for the great reviews, they really make my day. :) this chapter turned out to be pretty long, so i hope you all enjoy it. _

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 5

Sam and Dean sat silently in the car, the impala parked just out of site of the Robinson's home. They were all out in the front yard; mother, father, dog, and baby Jake. There was no doubt in either brother's mind when they saw the little kid; they were definitely dealing with a changeling. The two kids looked exactly the same, right down to their bright blue eyes. The only difference was that the Changeling wore a devilish grin, while the real Jake had had nothing but a happy smile on his face the entire time they were with him. It wasn't much, but it was enough to set off alarm bells in Sam's head.

The Changeling wasn't a baby, it was a creature, and it knew full well what it was doing. It was playing with the family, toying with them, and in a few short days, it was going to kill them. Kerri was right, their first priority had to be to get the Changeling away from the parents. They would just have to worry about the Korrigan, and bringing Jake back later, because he refused to let another child become an orphan. They had all been through too much, had all lost too much, watched as their families vanished into the darkness that was all around them, and Sam wasn't about to let that happen again, to anyone.

"She's not answering, Sam." Dean spoke, pulling Sam back from his thoughts. Dean had been trying to call Kerri for the past several hours, the phone switching to voicemail each time.

"I'm sure she's fine, Dean."

"I just can't shake this feeling, Sammy."

"Look, lets just focus on the family, we'll try her again in a little bit."

"Yeah, fine."

"What do you think we should do?" He asked, turning to face his brother, Dean still staring out the window.

"Grab him at night."

"Whoa, dude, did you actually read anything about the changelings?"

"Yeah, of course."

Sam just raised his eyebrows, knowing full well that his brother hadn't even looked at the papers.

"Well, I had two geeks with me, I figured I'd be filled in. So really, you and Kerri have only yourselves to blame."

"Whatever, Dean."

"So, what am I missing?"

"Changelings have the strength of like, ten men."

"I thought that was a Korrigan."

"That one has the strength of two."

"Man, this is so confusing. Why can't the mythical creatures play with their own kind?"

"Do you even listen to yourself when you talk?"

"Huh?"

"You can't just pick it up like a regular kid, it's gonna throw you around the room."

"Yeah, that wouldn't work. Is there anything in the research that says how to get rid of them?"

Sam didn't say anything. The whole in his jeans suddenly seemed like the most interesting thing he had seen in quite some time, his eyes never leaving the spot. He could feel his older brother's gaze burning through him, Dean remaining silent, but still undoubtedly studying the man beside him.

"What?" Dean asked; but Sam only mumbled in return. "Dude, spit it out."

"Changelings are smart." Sam began, choosing his words carefully. He really didn't want his brother to go flying off the handle when he heard what all his 'geek-boy research' had found. "Smarter than babies should be."

"So I've gathered."

"Well, legend says that once you trick it into revealing itself, they leave."

"They just say, 'oops, I'm busted' and head out the door?" Dean asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Something like that."

"Then how do you trick them?"

Sam looked up at the question, his eyes imploring, his mind telling his mouth to just shut the hell up now and save himself. But Sam knew his brother wouldn't take 'never mind' for an answer. "You have to brew beer in an acorn."

Dean looked like he was trying to laugh and scowl at the same time, the corners of his mouth twitching as he searched for his voice. Sam would have thought it was funny, if it wasn't directed at him.

"We have to what?" Dean asked, his voice amazingly level given the fit of laughter Sam knew was trying to hold in.

"The stories say that if you brew beer in an acorn the Changeling says 'in all my years I have never seen such a sight'. Then, realizing its true identify was revealed, it left."

"Wait, wait, wait. What's it say again?" Dean smiled, his laughter winning out.

In all honesty, it was good to see his big brother smile, good to see him laugh. Their lives had become so hard over the past several years, life spiraling away from them so fast, that Sam was afraid he would lose his grip on it entirely. So, when he and his brother could find these rare moments of humor, he usually embraced them; that was, when they weren't directed at him.

"Would you stop being an ass."

"Oh come on, Sammy. You just told me that the way to smoke out baddie was to cook booze in an acorn. How the hell can I not laugh?"

"It's true."

"That makes it even better." Dean laughed, his eyes bright. "So, Sam." Dean began. Still smirking despite his serious tone. "Does it have to be a stout or a lager?"

"You're a freaking jerk."

"I'm just asking. Because, you know, I'd hate to go to all that trouble and find out it wasn't to my man's taste."

"Could we focus here?"

"No."

"Dean."

"Please tell me you have a whole bag of acorns and hops in here somewhere." Dean smiled, rummaging around in the back seat of the impala.

"Of course I don't, Dean." Sam frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. But that only seemed to increase his brother's hysterics.

"Oh man, you're totally gonna hunt that stuff down, aren't you?"

"I wanted to at least make sure it was a changeling first. Before, you know." Sam gestured towards the creature in one final attempt to save himself. But Dean just laughed harder, sliding down into the seat.

"Oh my god, Sam. I totally wanna do this."

"Dude, I'm sure we can do something else. Besides, it's not even possible to brew beer in an acorn."

"Please, please tell me that you've tried."

"I'm not having this conversation anymore."

"Aw, Sammy." Dean began a few moments later, trying to compose himself, the stupid grin never leaving his face. "So." He began, his voice tight, the older man still trying to hold in his laughter. "What you're telling me is that we gotta trick the thing into revealing itself."

"Yes."

"Is there a way to do it that's, you know….. Physically possible."

"Bite me."

"Come on, Sam, lighten up. Alright, so, you gotta any idea's?"

"Honestly, no. I mean, we'd just have to trick it."

"Well, if it does throw me around the room, that would technically be revealing itself."

"Dean, that's stupid."

"Yes, but that doesn't make it wrong."

"Yeah, but….. It's still stupid."

"Nice comeback. So now we know, you're not gonna be out smarting it."

"Dean, you're not gonna be outsmarting it either, you're gonna be getting your ass kicked."

"Yeah, in front of the parents."

"What!"

"If they see their little bundle of joy tossing around a full grown guy, they're gonna know it's not their kid."

"Yeah, but then they're also gonna know that there's stuff out there in the dark, too."

"Oh well."

"Oh well! That's all you can say about it."

"Look, Sam, if it's a different between knowing the truth and dying, I think they'd rather know the truth."

"And what are you gonna tell them when they ask where the real kid is?"

"That he's safe with a friend. It's not like we have many options here."

"Let's just watch the thing for now, we've still got a little over two days."

"And what about the Korrigan?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I mean, I haven't seen any signs of it here, maybe it just gave up."

Dean just shot him a do-you-really-believe-that look and turned his attentions back to the small family, his face an unreadable mask. Dean could still remember times like these, days spent playing with his parents, a small child without a care in the world. It was something Sam never got to experience, a reality that was never his, but Dean knew it all to well, and the younger Winchester knew that it was all effecting his brother.

Dean had been more closed off and gun-ho since learning that they were dealing with a changeling. And Sam knew why. Another innocent life was in jeopardy, another child's future hanging in the balance of their hunt. What they did would effect a child for the rest of his life; would let him enjoy a future with his parents, or force him to remember them in scattered bits and pieces. Their decisions would make the difference between a child's normal life, or a young soul's devastation. And both brothers could feel the weight.

"She's still not answering, Sammy." Dean stated a few minute later, his eyes drifting from the family to the phone. "Something's wrong."

"Dean.--"

"One more night, Sammy. We just go back to Valley and give that thing one more night. If Kerri's ok and we can't figure out anything useful by tomorrow night, we go with my plan."

"Alright." Sam agreed, he too unable shake the bad feeling that was growing in the pit of his stomach. Dean was right, something about this whole hunt was off. "One more night."

66666666666666

Kerri was laying on the sofa in the back room, her mind wandering, sleep inching its way into her thoughts. She was beyond exhausted, her shoulder throbbing, body weaker then she could ever remember. She had been that way since the cursed painting of Tir-na-nog nearly sucked the soul from her body. It was like she had aged in those few short hours, her body wearing out quicker than it had before, mind running just a little slower than she had remembered. If she was being honest, she felt like she was caught in the grips of a long running illness.

It was like a feeling she just couldn't shake, a constant fatigue that had wrapped itself around her body, refusing to relinquish its hold. Her muscled burned even after the simplest of tasks, and she found herself climbing to the upper floors of her home less and less often. She was wearing out, her body falling victim to an unknown assailant. She could feel it, like a constant ache gnawing at her, stealing bits of her away everyday. She was fading, drifting off into an ever encroaching nothingness, and it was something that the brothers didn't need to know.

She had been on her own long enough, learned to fend for herself. Yes, she had wished, prayed, that they would stumble back into her life, that she would get to see them, hear them again. But it wasn't until they had actually returned that she realized just how far apart they had drifted. The brothers still had each other, still had a purpose, a half decent future, and they didn't need here dragging them down.

All she had left were faded memories and distant dreams. She didn't know where she was heading, her mind only able to see what she had left behind, only able to understand what was gone, lost in distant years. Her life had always been lived in the past, ever since she was a small child, and it was foolish of her to think that it would be any different now. She wanted what she knew she couldn't have, and at the moment, she wanted nothing more than the Winchester brothers.

They had meant so much to her, had been at the forefront of her memory ever since she was six years old. They had been her constant, the one thing in her life that made her feel a little normal, a little less alone. But somewhere along the line they all grew up, and in so doing, they grew apart. They weren't the children that ran rampant around the town of Valley, weren't the kids that tormented Sadie Miller at her shop. They were hunters now, and the children they had been were now nothing more than dust along the open road.

Kerri was pulled from her thoughts by a soft taping, almost as though something were running fingers along the outside of her house, drumming as they went along. She gingerly pushed herself up from the sofa, walking slowly around the lower floor of her house, listening to the sounds. She made her way to the basement door, descending the dark steps, the moonless night blanketing the fields and the forest beyond.

She stood by the basement door, checking the protection charms. She was sure she had heard something out there, running long fingers over the walls. Her mind drifted back in time, back to the watcher, to the disastrous two weeks she, Dean, Sam, and Evelyn had to spend together when she was just eleven years old. But the watcher was gone, Dean had somehow managed to kill it, dipping a silver bracelet into the lake. She knew it was gone, she was sure of it.

A shadow moved by the edge of the house, making Kerri's blood run cold. She was right, something was there. She knew she didn't have time to check the rest of the symbols around the house. Whatever it was seemed to be moving fast, and she didn't want to be stuck outside with it. She quickly pulled the heavy basement door closed, running up the stairs and bolting the second door behind her.

She let out a long breath, leaning back against the door. She was safe, her house was safe, but that still didn't slow the beating of her pounding heart. She didn't like the idea of something being out there, stalking her home. She could hear the fingers tapping on the glass now, a slow, methodical knocking echoing from the front door.

It was erie to say the least. The front door hadn't been used since her sister and father died, the entire front of the house having been sealed off that night. She had lined the front rooms of every floor with salt before closing each and every door that separated the newer part of the house from the original structure. So, to hear someone knocking on the front door was more than a little terrifying.

Reality hit her like a ton of bricks, the being moving now from the front door to the living room bay window. It was the Korrigan. It must have followed the boys to her house. She ran back into the back room for her cell phone before bounding up the back stairs. She knew that the Korrigan couldn't get inside her house, well, at least he hoped it couldn't break the protection, but she still wanted to get to Jake. He was at the center of all of this, and she wasn't going to let him become a victim. No, too many people had been lost in her life, victims of the world she lived in, and this little boy wasn't going to one of them.

She made it to her room in record time, flipping on the light as she entered the large space. Jake was sitting up in the crib Dean had found in the attic, the little boy smiling up at her, not a care in the world. She let out a long breath as she made her way across the room, the bounding that had been coming from the front parlor having stopped as she climbed the stairs.

She gingerly slid her right arm from the sling, scooping Jake up and holding him on her left hip before flipping open her phone. Her right arm was killing her, her already low energy draining away as she stood, but she didn't want to let go of Jake. But her heart sank when she saw the no signal message flash across the phone. Something was wrong, she could feel it. She always had a signal at her house, always, that was something her father had petitioned the city for.

She back up slowly, inching her way towards the bathroom that joined her room to what had once been Evelyn's. Something was off, the house was quiet, too quiet. There was a secret staircase in the back of Evelyn's room that led down to the backyard, right near the sheds. She just had to get to it as quietly as she could. She scanned the room once more before turning towards the bathroom.

But instead of being met with an empty doorway, she was greeted by a set of blood red eyes, a creature standing as tall as the ceiling, its large body blocking the entrance to Evelyn's room. Its mouth was set in a twisted, gaping grin, foot long fangs bared, saliva dripping from them as it licked its lips, staring at Kerri like she was it's next meal. It advanced on her with lightening speed, Kerri's ear piercing scream drowned out, but the Korrigan's blood thirsty roar.


	6. Chapter 6

_sorry to everyone for the long delay, life has been beyond crazy. thank you all again for the great reviews, i hope everyone enjoys the newest chapter. :)_

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 6

For a fraction of a second, Kerri stood frozen to the spot, fear running through her in torrents, pounding in her ears, and seizing her heart. She couldn't do anything but stare at the bloodthirsty eyes before her, the beast's saliva dripping down by her sneakers. An instant later her brain kicked back into gear, Kerri holding Jake for all she was worth as she ran back through her room, taking a small staircase off the back of her floor. Her house was built like a maze, and she prayed to god that it would help her as she ran.

She couldn't hear the Korrigan, but that didn't meant it wasn't chasing her. It was a shape-shifter, and lord only knew what form it had taken after the first encounter. She rounded a corner at the bottom of the stairs, slamming the door to an old office closed behind her, just as the creature's nails pierced the old wood. She needed something to keep it away just long enough for her to get to her car.

She rubbed Jake's back as she searched the room for a weapon, anything that she could use against the Korrigan. Jake cried into her shoulder, his little fists holding onto her shirt for dear life. She scanned the dust covered desks, the room around her being one that she did normally use. It wasn't beyond the salt barriers like most of the rooms in her house, but it still wasn't a space she was all that familiar with, and that made it a little hard to find things.

The Korrigan's claws ripped into the door again, a fresh cry resonating from Jake at the sound. They were running out of time. Kerri pulled the baby closer still as the door buckled and bend beneath the force of the creature. Finally, after what felt like hours of searching she found what she was looking for. Shoved in the back of the drawer was an old letter opener Brian had given her a lifetime ago, engraved with her initials and the date of their first date. But, what was more important to her at the moment, was that it was made of pure silver.

She moved quietly to the back of the room, knowing there was a hidden staircase that lead to the back of her kitchen. It was narrow and hadn't been used in well over two years, but it was the only way out of the house that didn't involve playing chicken with an angry monster. She wasn't at all sure how it got into the house, but that wasn't at the top of her list of concerns at the moment. She would let Dean yell at her about it later, first things first, she had to get to him.

They were in Colorado, so really, all she had to do was make it to her car. But that seemed to be easier said than done. She pulled open the old door, cobwebs covering the dark steps. She took the steps as fast as she could, careful not to stumble in the near total darkness, Jake still crying on her shoulder. _ 'The keys were on the counter.'_ She told herself, trying to calm her breathing, her heart beating faster with each step she took. _'Get the keys, get the car, get to Dean and Sam.'_

She crept out into the kitchen, her eyes drifting between the two other staircases that lead down from the upper floors. Oh yeah, times like these, her house was way too big. She spotted her keys, her heart beating fast as adrenaline coursed through her body. She many not have considered herself a hunter, but she had been around it long enough to know that if something seems too easy, then it probably is.

She tightened her grip on both Jake and the silver blade as she made her way cautiously across the large kitchen, her senses on high alert. She stilled when she neared the middle of the room, the hairs on the back on her next standing on end. Something was there, behind her, she could feel it. She dropped down to her knees a fraction of a second later, spinning and lashing out with the weapon. She hit her mark, the creature screeching as the silver pierced its leg, the Korrigan falling back at the force of the blow.

And Kerri didn't waste a second. She was on her feet before the creature had even begun to stagger, scooping up the car keys as she headed to the basement. She took the stairs three at time, hitting the dirty basement floor at a dead run, her left arm still wrapped around Jake, right arm throbbing painfully as she clutched the silver knife. She had probably done some damage to her still healing arm, but at that moment she didn't care. It was either that, or be ripped to shreds by something that wanted an innocent child.

Kerri made it to her car in record time, pulling open the door and dropping Jake down in the seat beside her. She gunned the engine, her heart stopping when she glanced in the rearview mirror. The Korrigan was only a few meters behind her and closing in fast. She bit back a gasp of pain as she held Jake in the seat with her right arm, pulling the firebird out onto the drive at lightning speed. But, no matter how fast she drove, the Korrigan wasn't losing any ground.

"Damn it." She cursed, twisting back in the seat to check behind her, the car skidding and swerving as she sped down the road that lead to her house. She turned back around, taking a corner faster than she knew was wise, but she didn't have any choice in the matter.

It was a race to save the life and future of an innocent child, and Kerri wouldn't let anything, not even physics stand in her way. She had been jilted out of a normal childhood, had been lost to the world at far too young an age, and there was no way in hell she was going to let that happen to Jake.

She turned back towards the rear window, scanning the fields behind her. The Korrigan was nowhere in sight. She glanced back to the road for a fraction of a second before turning back towards the rear of the car; she needed to know where the thing was, and fast. She had been up and down that road thousands of times, knew every bump, every turn. But, what she wasn't expecting was another car to be traveling down it.

She was brought back to the moment by the sound of a car horn blaring, breaks screeching as the older car shot around the corner at breakneck speed. Kerri spun in her seat, her right arm holding Jake into his seat, car sliding off the road as she spun out. The car screeched to a bone rattling halt a few feet from the tree line, Kerri's head hitting the side window, hard, when the car finally stopped. This was so, so not good. The Korrigan was still after her, and now she'd been run off the road by someone. She could hear Jake crying in the seat beside her, hear voices just beyond the window, but her mind was swimming, darkness creeping into her vision.

It was the Korrigan, it had to be. She'd been so sure it was behind her, so sure she was beating it, that she never once thought to look in front of her, even as she sped down a narrow mountain road. And now she could feel it pulling at her, shaking her, her mind slowly shutting down as voices rose to her ears.

"Kerri?" The voice asked. It sounded so far away, but she could feel it right there beside her, holding her, pulling her from the car.

"Jake." She forced her eyes open. She wasn't going to let that thing win without a fight. "No, you can't have him." She tried to fight off her attacker, fumbling for the silver letter opener she had placed in her pocket.

"Ker, calm down." The voice spoke again, strong arms wrapping around her entire body, pinning her arms to her side. But it wasn't trying to hurt her. She could feel a soft breath at her neck, hear calming words, the arms pulling her closer in, protecting her.

"Dean?" She asked, her vision clearing slightly. She was sitting on the ground beside her car, Dean kneeling behind her, holding onto her, as much to keep her safe as to keep her from trying to stab him. "No, it's here. We gotta go." Kerri tried to fight him, but she was no match for the elder Winchester. Dean just held her tightly, trying once again to calm her.

"What's here." Sam asked, holding a terrified Jake in his arms, his brown eyes scanning the wilderness around them.

"The Korrigan, it was in the house. It was right behind me."

"What?" Dean asked, his grip tightening as he pulled Kerri to her feet. "I thought your house was sealed against the supernatural."

"Yeah, well, it was a surprise to me, too. Please, Dean." Kerri whispered the last part, her body beginning to shake as the adrenaline left her.

She was beyond tired, her run from the Korrigan having taken up all of her limited energy, and her head wasn't helping matter's either. All she wanted to do was sleep, just lay down and let the world wash away. She felt safe with the brothers around, found comfort in Dean's heartbeat, Sam's voice. She was just so exhausted, so tired of running, so tired of being broken.

"Kerri?" Dean asked, and Kerri was surprised to see him standing in front on her. She was sitting in the passenger seat of the impala, feet still on the grass, her throbbing head resting against the cool leather. When had she gotten in the car? She blinked owlishly up at Dean, her vision swimming again. "You still with me?"

"Not really."

"Do you think you can hang onto Jake?"

"Huh?"

"Alright." Dean began, his voice hardening a bit as he spoke. "Sam's gonna take your car, I need you to hang onto, Jake."

"Where're we going?" Kerri asked, as Dean shifted her legs into the car. "And why the hell won't the world stand still?"

"Well, trouble, you hit your head pretty hard on that window. I think you have a concussion."

"Trouble." Kerri mumbled, smiling at the nickname. "I haven't heard that one in a while."

"She alright?" Sam's voice broke through the haze, but Kerri for the life of her couldn't seem him.

"Let's hope so. Ready?"

"Yeah, the other car's ok."

"Alright. You try and see if you can lead that thing away, we'll meet back in Colorado."

"Yeah, ok. Be careful."

"You too, Sam."

A few moment's later Kerri felt something heavy being placed on her lap. She pushed her eyes open a little more, her gaze clearing just enough to make out the brown haired little boy that was holding onto her for all he was worth. Kerri wrapped her good arm around Jake, the toddler burying his face into her shoulder as he continued to cry. This hunt was going from bad to worse, and fast.

"What are you doing here?" Kerri asked after a short while, her mind clearing a little more as they drove. Sam and Dean were supposed to be in Colorado, so what were they doing running her off the road on her own property?

"I'm driving." Dean answered, concern lacing his voice. He reached a hand over, feeling the bump that was forming on her head. "What's your name?"

"Dean, that's not what I meant."

"Humor me."

"Kerri Harrison."

"Birthday?"

"March 23, 1979."

"Best car ever?"

"'69, pontiac firebird."

"Well, two out of three."

"I think I got all three, and I meant why aren't you in Colorado."

"I just, had a feeling."

"You tapping into the psychic friend's network?"

"No!" Dean barked, making Kerri jump.

"I was joking."

"It wasn't funny."

"Alright, I'm sorry."

"How're you feeling?" Dean asked a few moments later, the silence between them broken only by Jake's soft snores.

"I think I'd feel better if I jumped off a cliff."

"You're head that bad?"

"My all of me's that bad."

"Ok." Dean began absently, pulling out his cell phone.

"Who're you calling?"

"Sam."

"Why?"

"Change of plans, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"Dean, that's over kill."

"You're whole body hurts, Ker. That's way more than a head wound."

"It's not from the accident, Dean."

"How do you know?"

"Because I've been tired and achy for weeks now."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to worry about it."

She turned to Dean when she was met by nothing but silence. His hands were gripping the steering wheel so tight, she was sure he'd break it in two. He was staring out the window, his green eyes fixed on the horizon, jaw clenched.

"Just forget it, Dean."

"It's still from the paining, isn't it?"

"Yeah. And my head really hurts, so can we please not go into who's fault it is or isn't right now?"

Dean was saved from answering when his cell phone began to ring, the hunter taking one more look at Kerri before staring unblinking out the windscreen. "Sam? What'd you got?"

"No sign of it?"

"Alright, dude, grab what we need and head out. I don't want any of us there till we know it's safe."

"Let me guess, the Korrigan's gone." Kerri began after Dean ended the call.

"No sign of it."

"What about the claw marks all over the kitchen?" She asked sarcastically, but Dean didn't even flinch. "Dean?"

"Like I said, nothing."

"You don't believe me."

"I didn't say that."

"Sounded like you did to me."

"Look, Ker, why don't you get some rest. I'll wake you in a little bit."

"Fine." Kerri began weakly, sliding down into the seat. She was beyond tired, her mind swimming, brain barely able to comprehend the spinning world around her. But she had seen the Korrigan, she was certain of it. So how was there absolutely no sign of it at all?


	7. Chapter 7

_sorry about the wait!! thank you all so much for the great reviews, they mean the world to me. i hope everyone enjoys this new chapter, lots more mystery..._

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 7

Dean sat at the worn motel room table, the laptop open in front of him. He could hear Kerri's deep breaths, though he knew she wasn't sleeping. He believed her, well, he wanted to believe her, but all the evidence was stating otherwise. He just didn't understand how all the destruction could vanish, unless of course, it never happened in the first place. But Kerri wasn't the kind of person to make things up, and she was normally very sane. No, there had to be another explanations, something he had missed.

_'There is.'_ He told himself, sighing as his gaze shifted to his friend. He hadn't known about the painting's lasting effect, hell, he hadn't even asked. He just assumed that everything was fine, that everything was back to normal, that his mistake hadn't been permanent. But now, well now he wasn't so sure. She looked tired and weak, two things he would never have associated with Kerri. She was always so full of energy, so full of life, of adventure.

It was like someone had flipped a switch; the girl he had know since he was six, the girl who had saved him, was no longer the girl that laid before him. She wasn't his Kerri any more, wasn't the girl he longed to see, longed to call, if only to hear her breathing. The girl he knew now was nothing but a shadow of what she had been, and that was more heartbreaking then Dean had ever imagined possible.

He knew that things changed, knew life grew more and more difficult and complicated with each passing year. But somehow, through it all, he believed that Kerri should have remained the same. She had been a constant for him, the memory of her bringing him through some of the darkest times of his life. When Sam had left, it was her memory that helped Dean through, helped him to cope, the push forward. And after everything with the Yellow Eyed Demon, she had become irreplaceable. But now, after finally seeing her again for the first time in twelve years, Dean understood that nothing lasts forever.

"You alright?" Dean asked, turning towards her when he heard her sigh. He didn't know what to do or say to make this better, didn't know how to fix it. Not only was Kerri seeing things that weren't there, but she was still recovering from both a serious gunshot and the after effects of a life sucking painting. _'Bang up job, Winchester.'_ Dean thought to himself, his green eyes never leaving Kerri. For someone he had sworn to keep safe, he was really screwing up.

"I'm fine." Kerri mumbled, her voice barely audible even in the heavy silence of the room.

"You sure?"

"Wait, let me double check." She replied sarcastically, never once turning to look at him.

Her eyes were still glued on the sleeping form of Jake, the little boy laying peacefully in the bed beside her, blissfully unaware of the problems around him. Dean sighed, taking one more long look at Kerri before turning back to the computer. He needed to find answers, needed to know what was going on, and how to fix it. But, at that moment, Dean wasn't even sure he knew what they were hunting.

From every angle, it looked like they were after a changeling, a Korrigan. But, well, it just seemed like there was something different about it, something off. Like what the hell had actually gone down in Kerri's house. Dean knew that building, knew that it was impossible for anything to get inside. Hell, the watcher couldn't even get in and that was saying something. So how, on a sunny day, had a shape-shifting Korrigan managed to get inside, wreak havoc, and then not leave any trace of its existence?

They all needed to sit down and go through the information they had, piece by piece. The problem was that, if it was indeed a Korrigan, they had a little over two days to stop it, and Dean could feel the minutes slipping away. They had to figure out what was going on, had to stop it, because there was no way in hell he was going to let an innocent child suffer. They had a chance to set a young life right, and Dean wasn't about to let that chance go.

The friends sat there, lost in the heavy silence that had fallen around them like a blanket, pulling them further and further apart, even though the room was a grand total of twenty square feet. There was a distance there that was even greater then years, and it was a distance Dean wasn't sure they could overcome. Too much had happened, too much had come between them, and it was childish to think that a few short months would be enough to erase the last twelve years of their lives.

But there was something else bouncing around in Dean's mind, another troubling thought that he just couldn't shake. How had Jake gotten away from a full grown Korrigan? It was something the elder Winchester just couldn't wrap his head around. How did a twenty-two month old kid get away from a creature that had had such an effect on Kerri? Dean had known Kerri for most of his life, had seen her go up against spirits and demons alike. She wasn't the kind of person that was easily scared. No, she was the kind of person that would probably try to pick a fight with whatever was after her. So, the fact that the Korrigan, or whatever she had seen, had her so unnerved brought up a lot more questions then answers.

A knock brought Dean back to the present, the older hunter taking one more look at Kerri before moving to the door. "Please tell me you found something?" Dean asked, letting Sam into the darkened room.

"Still nothing." Sam began, dropping a few bags onto the end of Kerri's bed. "I went all through the house, nothing."

"I know what I saw." Kerri pipped up, her back still to the brothers.

"Hey." Sam began, sitting on the bed and resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Kerri, you ok?"

Dean could see the deep concern in his brother's eyes, could see the worry etched on his face. Sam and Kerri had been very close when they were little, and Dean knew that forgetting her had devastated his brother. Sam was still trying to get over the fact that a single incident had caused him to erase nearly all of his childhood; Valley and the Harrisons lost in a darkness he didn't even know was there. But Dean had always known; his mind never letting him forget.

It still stood as the single most terrifying event of his life, the image of his little brother being pulled beneath the ground burned into his brain, replaying over and over again as though it had just happened. It had been the beginning of the end, the life he'd known vanishing in the blink of an eye, leaving behind nothing but a broken existence.

"Yeah, Sam." Kerri mumbled, finally looking away from Jake. "Just a headache."

"You sure, you don't look so good."

"Yeah well, maybe it's the crazy in me that's making me look bad."

"Ker, I didn't say we didn't believe you." Dean began, slamming the laptop closed, earning a stern glance from Sam.

"Well, it's not like it's all that hard not to. I mean, there was something breaking down doors in my house. What'd it do, clean up before it left?"

"You know, Ker." Dean began, stalking across the room. "Maybe that's it. Did you happen to notice a carpenter's belt on it while you were running for your life."

"Oh ha ha ha, you're so funny. I know what I saw."

"Well, obviously not, since there wasn't anything there."

"Guys." Sam tried to break in, but Dean and Kerri were on a roll.

"You know what, Dean, thirty seconds ago, you said I wasn't crazy."

"Yeah well, I lied."

"Nice comeback."

"I was trying to keep it simple for loony toons."

"Oh really, how nice of you."

"Yo." Sam yelled, Dean and Kerri both stilling. "What the hell's wrong with you two?"

"Why don't you ask your brother."

"Because I'm asking both of you."

Dean opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. In all honesty, he had no idea why he was currently in a shouting match with Kerri. Yeah they had fought before, many times actually, but this was something different. He didn't know exactly why he was upset with Kerri, he just knew that he was. He wanted to tell himself that it was because she had hidden the effects of the painting from him, or that something had happened in the house that she wasn't telling him. Yes, he was on edge, and Kerri's attitude was definitely not helping matters, but he just couldn't explain why he was in a verbal sparring match with her. And, by the look in Kerri's eyes, she had no idea either.

"Well?" Sam asked, obviously wanting an explanation for their outburst.

"I don't really know." Kerri spoke first, her blue eyes shifting between the brothers. "I guess I'm just a little stressed."

"Come on, Kerri, that's weak."

"It's the truth."

"Dean?"

"Same here."

"So you two just decided to start shouting at each other for no reason?" Sam asked, exasperated.

Dean just shrugged, moving to the far bed when Jake began to stir. That was basically it; he and Kerri had just started fighting, and he really had no good reason why. "What'd you get from the attic?"

Sam just huffed, obviously not liking the change in conversations, but accepting it none the less. "I ransacked that attic. You know your dad never threw anything out."

"Yeah. Most hunters are pack rats." Kerri answered, pushing herself up against the headboard. "What'd you get."

"A playpen and a few blankets. I hit up a store on the way here, too. Got some clothes and diapers."

"So baby's fine. What'd you get for the rest of us?" Dean asked, rubbing Jake's back as the little boy drifted back to sleep.

"Beer and burgers are in the car."

"You're my hero, Sammy."

"Yeah, well, I bought everything, you unload it."

"You bought it?"

"Yes."

"Really."

"I did the physical act of buying, Bruce Wane paid for it."

"Bruce Wane?"

"Ask Dean."

"Someone actually issued you guys a card with that name on it?"

"You'd be surprised, Kerri." Dean smirked, heading out the door.

666666666666

"So." Sam began a few minutes later, opening his laptop and inspecting it for damage. "You sure you're alright?"

"Yes, Sam. I'm fine." Kerri sighed.

"And the shouting match?" Sam asked, clicking on his laptop. There was something they'd missed, he was sure of it, he just had to figure out what.

"I was telling the truth before, I really have no idea what that was about. I guess we're just both a little on edge."

"Yeah, alright."

"So, you really didn't see anything at the house?"

"Nothing." Sam spoke softly, the disappointment painfully evident in Kerri's eyes. "I'm sorry, Kerri."

"Maybe I am going nuts."

"No." Sam spoke adamantly, turning towards Kerri. "There has to be something we missed."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, maybe the Korrigan can project itself. Like the Watcher did. It didn't actually get into the house, but it could still effect us."

"So you think it put some weirdo idea in my head?"

"Maybe."

"So I still imagined it."

"No, you didn't imagine it. You were tricked into seeing it."

"I've really gotta figure out how ideas are getting into my house."

"You're telling me. Kerri?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"I know my brother. Something else is eating away at him. Something other then the Korrigan."

"You're right."

"What's going on?"

"The painting. I guess it was a little more permanent then we though." Kerri stated, offering a half-hearted smile.

"Oh my god, Kerri." Sam began, his world beginning to spin. He couldn't believe that he had missed it, that he had let something so glaringly obvious escape him. "What are we gonna do?"

"I don't think there's anything we can do."

"Bull." Dean stated, standing in the doorway. "We'll fix it."

Sam had to believe that Dean was right, had to believe that there was a way out of this mess. He was finally getting Kerri back, finally finding his lost childhood, and he wasn't about it let it go. He'd been forced to lose to much, been forced to watch too much of his life vanish into darkness. No, it had to stop, and now.

66666666666

Candice Robinson stood in the doorway of her son's room, watching as the little boy slept, her heart light. He was such a cute little thing, such a good little boy. Yes, he'd been a little more trouble since they'd returned from camping, but he was also nearing two, and little boys and terrible twos were something she was dreading. But well, how could her perfect little man ever become that much trouble?

She smiled, pulling the door closed. The camping trip had been good for another reason, too. She and her husband hadn't fought a single day since their return. It was wonderful, their relationship better then it had been in years. It was weird, right around the time Jake turned six months old, she and her husband just started fighting with each other. She couldn't figure out why, they just pushed each other's buttons more and more often. But now, ever since they'd come back from their trip, they hadn't fought at all, and she just prayed that it would stay that way. Because, for the first time since her child was a little baby, her life seemed to be working out.


	8. Chapter 8

_Here you go, everyone, the next chapter with baby Jake! thank you all once again for the great reviews, i'm so glad everyone is enjoying the story!! let me know what you think as the mystery deepens. :)_

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 8

Dean sat on the edge of Kerri's bed, his back to his friend, Jake sitting, smiling on his lap. Dean moved again, taking the feather he had found and dragging it over his sleeping brother's face, eliciting another squeal of laughter from Jake. Sam swatted at the offending object in his sleep, but did not wake up, and so, Dean continued on. Jake had woken about twenty minutes prior to Dean's little prank fest, and, though he didn't cry, the older Winchester was hard pressed to find a way to entertain the kid. Because he knew, no matter how good the kid seemed to be, that it was only a matter of time before he started fussing.

Dean swiped the feather across his brother's face again, having to stifle a laugh when Sam slapped his own face with more force then Dean had been expecting. But he still didn't awaken. "Hey, Jake, you wanna see something really funny?"

"Yah, yah." The little boy began, turning up to face Dean, a large smile still plastered across his face.

"Alright. Watch this." Dean snickered, carrying Jake over to the sink and filling a glass with warm water. He made his way back over to his still sleeping brother, easing himself quietly onto Kerri's bed. But, just as he was reaching for Sam's hand, he heard a voice.

"You know, that's not very nice." Kerri chided.

"You're a kill joy." Dean smirked, dipping his own hand in the water instead. He started to flick it at his brother, Sam flinching again and again as the water hit his face, Jake laughing with each movement. "This better?" He asked, turning towards Kerri.

"Yeah, I'm fine with it." Kerri smiled, watching as Dean held up the glass for Jake, the little boy splashing so much water on Sam that the younger Winchester's face was now soaked.

"What the?" Sam mumbled, his eyes flying open as Jake threw another handful of water at him.

"Dean."

"What? The kid threw it."

"Oh yeah, I wonder who taught him that." Sam scowled, pushing himself up off the bed, and heading towards the bathroom.

"I think you pissed him off." Kerri smirked, still laying on her side.

"Again, again." Jake cheered, dipping his hand into the glass once more, this time turning towards Dean.

"No way, buddy. Sammy's gone."

"Again?" Jake asked, his eyes imploring, hand still in the glass.

"Nope, no more 'again'."

Jake just turned back again, pulling his hand from the water and wiping it on the blankets. To say he was amazed would have been an understatement. As far as Dean knew, kids didn't usually obey like that. Well, at least Sammy didn't. It was just something else that made Jake different. He seemed smarter then a normal kid, and quieter.

"Dean!"

"Huh, what?" Dean asked, turning towards Kerri.

"I called your name like three times."

"Yeah, why?"

"I'm guessing that the kid's probably hungry."

"See, I knew I kept you around for a reason." Dean smiled, moving over to the small table. He placed Jake on one of the chairs before rummaging through the small fridge, trying to find something remotely kid friendly. To his dismay, it was all freakishly kid friendly. He knew he should have looked through the stuff his little brother had bought. "Awe, man, it's like baby food central in here."

"Yuk." Jake spat out shaking his head. "Ma, cheese."

"Sorry, dude, but Sammy didn't buy any."

"No ma, cheese?"

"Nope, no mac and cheese."

"What are you two whining about?" Sam asked, coming out of the bathroom with a down in hand, still trying to dry his sopping hair.

"You didn't buy the kid any mac and cheese."

"Yes, I did. I got him the kid kind, it's in there." Sam began, pushing past his brother and shifting things around the fridge.

"Well." Dean began, backing away, sending a wink at a still smiling Jake. "Looks like you got this all under control."

"What?" Sam asked, turning from the fridge, his eyes going from the jar of food to Jake before trailing back to his smirking brother. "You're a freaking jerk."

"No, I'm an awesomely crafty big brother."

"Yeah, freaking jerk."

"Sore loser. So." Dean began a few moments later, sitting opposite Jake and Sam and powering up the laptop. "We any further along then we were?"

"Well." Sam began, lifting a spoon to Jake, the little boy refusing to open his mouth. "I think I was right before, it looks like Korrigans can project images and ideas into people's minds."

"So the thing wasn't really in my house."

"No, but it would have seemed just like it. Apparently, the images and ideas are so strong, that they can even cause injuries."

"So." Dean broke in, his eyes boring into Kerri with a single minded intensity. He needed her to understand, needed to pull her out of the darkness she had been slowly falling into. It was more than just the painting, more than just the events of the last few days. Kerri was different, and it was painfully obvious. She'd been put through too much over time, suffered too much in his twelve year absence. And the fact that he and his brother returned didn't seem to be helping her all that much. "Even if it was all in your head, it still could have killed you."

"I know you're trying to make me feel better, Dean, but that's really not the way to do it." Kerri smirked, pulling her sweater around her as she shivered. "Why'd it stop, then? Why not go after Sam?"

"I don't know. Maybe it just wanted to scare you?"

"Like, 'oh I'm freaked, take the baby back.'?"

"Yeah well, phrased like that it sounds ridiculous."

"Then why give up?"

"That's a real good question." Sam began, the young man deep in thought, not even noticing when Jake took the spoon from him. The little boy then started feeding himself, slopping more of the noodles down his front then in his mouth. "Did Jake react to the Korrigan?"

"Huh? Yeah, he was crying."

"Yeah, I know. But was he crying about the Korrigan, or crying as a react to you being scared?"

"I don't know, I'm not a mind reader."

"Just, here me out. Do you remember anything he was doing when it was attacking?"

"Well, he cried when he heard it rip into the door."

"But, did he actually act like he saw it?"

"No." Kerri breathed, leaning back against the headboard. "No, just the sound. But, I don't know, I kind of jumped and held him tighter when I heard it."

"So he may have not even heard it."

"What are you getting at, Sam?" Dean asked, his eyes shifting between Kerri and Jake. The little boy just sat in the chair, spoon abandoned on the table as he dug small hands into his food. This entire hunt centered on Jake, the innocent little boy somehow immune to a creature that should have been able to destroy him. Hell, he'd even managed to get away from the thing.

"I don't know. It's just… I think there's more going on here then just the Korrigan."

"You find something?"

"No. But I can't shake this feeling."

"Yeah." Dean conceded. "Me either. We need to get in his house. Come on, Ker, up and at um."

"Huh? Why don't you and Sam go?"

"I think we've already decided that you and baby alone is a bad idea, and it's not like we can bring Jake with us."

"Dean's right. You two go, I've got a few more things I need to look up."

"Why do you two always have to agree when I don't want you to?"

"It's part of our charm." Dean smirked, helping Kerri off the bed. "Sam, one sign of evil baby snatcher, and you head to us. Ya hear."

"I got it, Dean."

666666666666

Dean and Kerri sat in the impala, both staring at the house before them. It seemed normal enough; freshly cut lawn, perfectly laid out fence, not a single chip in the paint. Oh yes, it was the pure 'american dream' kind of house. But, if there was one thing Kerri knew, it was that looks could be deceiving. It was the first thing she learned about the hunting world, and well, the first thing she learned about the world in general. People usually based everything they knew on first impressions, on out dated stereotypes and stories past down from their parents. And, more often then not, their views of the world were warped beyond repair.

She had experienced it first had as a child, had watched as people doted over Evelyn, all while completely ignoring her. She'd seen the way teachers had treated Dean, had become friends with men that most people locked their doors on, and had felt extreme loss at the hands of people society believed to be perfect. Yes, looks could be deceiving, and it was that deception that killed.

"You alright?" Dean asked, still staring past her. She knew he was watching her, though, knew he could sense how she felt, read her body language the same way people read books. It was always something he was able to do, ever since the first day he'd met her. In all reality, he was the first and only person not to judge her on sight, and that as something she had never forgotten.

"Yeah, I just wanna get this over with."

"Ladies first."

"Then why are you still sitting in the car, Winchester?"

"Oh, aren't you a riot. Come on."

Kerri just smirked, a little bit of her waning energy returning as she followed Dean up the sidewalk. It felt good to have him back, almost like a piece of her soul had returned. But she knew not to get too attached. Things in her life were just too easy to lose, too easily stolen away, and she knew that one day, Dean would be gone again.

She was brought back by the sound of the doorbell, focusing again on the task at hand. They only had two days to figure this all out, two days before another family would be destroyed, before another child would be orphaned. And that was something none of them would ever allow.

"Can I help you?" A young woman asked, the chain still stopping the door from opening more then a crack.

"Yes, Ma'am, my name is Dean Matthews, and this is Kerri Simon, may we come in?"

"You know, my husband's due back in a few hours, maybe you could come back then." She began, trying to smile but obviously frightened by the pair. Kerri couldn't help be smile a little; where was Sam when you needed him.

"Actually, Ma'am, we're just here to ask you a few questions." Kerri broke in, smiling at the woman before her, though it was immediately obvious that Kerri wasn't calming her at all.

"We can talk here, if it's better for you." Dean began, trying to keep the woman from slamming the door in their faces. Kerri knew that they needed the information, sooner rather then later, and she was certain that Dean wasn't going to walk away from the house without the answers they came for. "It's about your camping trip."

"I've already had someone from the site call."

"Yes, we just had a few follow up questions."

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"We don't know exactly. That's why we're here."

"Well, what did you want to know?" She began, still not opening the door more then a few inches.

Kerri could tell that Dean was getting more then a little aggravated, but at that moment they would take what they could get. In reality, they wanted to see the kid Candice Robinson thought was her child. But, at the moment, it seemed like they would see pigs flying first.

"Did you see anything, out of place, while camping?"

"What do you mean, out of place?"

"There were a few reports of something lurking around the camps." Kerri broke in, her voice as soft as she could make it. She really didn't like interacting with their targets, but it was part of the job, or at least, part of the job when Sam and Dean were around.

Kerri smiled a bit despite herself when she saw Mrs. Robinson falter, the woman looking to the ground before answering. "It was nothing."

"Please, Ma'am." Dean broken in. "All details are important."

"I thought I saw someone, a woman, out at the edge of our camp. I called my husband over to see it, we searched the area for a little bit, but we didn't find anything. Michael, he told me it was just my imagination. And, you know, after I got back, I figured he was right."

"Why's that."

"Well, Jake, our little boy, he usually picks up on things like that. I don't know, it's almost like he's got a sixth sense or something. Whenever someone around seems, odd, he starts fussing. But, when we got back to the tent, he was just sleeping, not a care in the world."

"So, you left him in the tent when you searched the forest?"

"We weren't that far from him, Mr. Matthews, if that's what you're trying to imply. Now, if you don't have anymore questions, I suggest you leave."

"Just one more thing, Mrs. Robinson." Kerri chimed in, just as the woman was closing the door.

"Yes?"

"You said Jake had a sixth sense about people, when did you first notice it?"

"Oh, it's happened a few times. But the first… had to have been when he was a little baby, no more then sixth months or so. There was this man, he'd been in the park I always walked in, a strange man. He'd just stand there and watch, always kept to the shadows, but not like he was trying to hide. It was weird, whenever we'd get close, Jake would fuss. I called the cops, but a week or so later, he just vanished. You wanna know something funny-- I was the only person that ever reported seeing him."


	9. Chapter 9

_here goes, another chapter. thank you all once again for the great reviews, they really make my day. this is more an info/set-up chapter, sorry for the lack of action. _

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 9

Sam sat in the motel room, laptop on the table before him. Jake had been playing quietly on one of the beds, entertaining himself with a few of the toys Sam had salvaged from Kerri's attic. Something was different, more than just a Changeling, and Sam knew it. He couldn't quite place it, but he still knew that there was something else going on. He looked over to Jake again, smiling as the little boy rolled a toy train around the bedspread, calling 'all bored' every few minutes.

Oh yes, he was a very, very good kid, and Sam could see that his brother had become quite enamored with him. Dean was good with kids, hell, better then most, and that was something that had always amazed him about his older brother. Little kids just gravitated towards him, and Dean always did the same. Sam didn't know if it was the fact that his big brother had practically raised him, or that Dean had a tendency to act a little childish himself. Whatever it was, it was always something comforting to see. It was just so natural, so normal, and so not like what their lives normally were.

Sam needed that little bit of normal, more then anyone knew. He needed to see that life was more than darkness, more than demons, that there was more to wake up to than never ending sorrow. It was what kept him going, what kept him breathing, what kept him from falling into the void that surrounded him. Dean just laughed it off as the 'apple pie life' but to Sam it was much, much more. It was something to fight for, something to look forward to, to believe in. And it was something he could feel slipping away from him. But here, now, in Valley with Kerri, with Jake, normal seemed to be making an appearance, and it lifted a terrible weight from Sam's shoulders.

Ever since he had learned of Evelyn's death, he had been unable to concentrate on anything else. She had been so close to him, had been through so much with him, grown from a child to a teenager with him, and now, now she was gone. And in her wake, she had left a gaping hole in is heart. She had been a good person, and a great friend. Fate had taken a lot from her, but she had fought it, that was, until he and his brother had left. To Sam, Evelyn was normal, she was safety, the memory of her pulling him back in time, back to a place where he wasn't afraid. But now, that memory was darker, dampened by her death, by the fact that someone else he had cared about was lost in the darkness.

Sam was brought out of his memories by the sound of his phone, Jake also looking up at the ring. "Hello?" Sam asked, smiling at Jake as he turned back to his train.

"Dude, Sammy, we've got so much to go over." Dean's voice crackled back, trepidation lacing his words. Something big had definitely gone down.

"I take it your meeting with the mom went well."

"Sammy, you're not even gonna believe it."

"Are you gonna tell me, or just build up the suspense?"

"Not over the phone, we'll be there in ten. The kid still there?"

"Oh no, he went out for coffee on his big wheel."

"Bite me."

"Oh course he's still here, Dean. Where the hell else would he go?"

"Just, keep an eye on him. Double up protection symbols, too."

"Dean, what's going on?"

"Just do it." And with that, the call ended.

Sam just stared at his phone, his thoughts drifting back and forth between his brother's words, and Jake. What could have happened to freak Dean out so badly, and why in the world did he think Jake had left? The younger Winchester pushed himself out of the chair, stretching his back before moving to his duffle. He had laid the usual protection charms and symbols around the room, but he knew that, for Dean to be that freaked, it had to be something big. So, Sam decided, he was going to go all out.

Fifteen minutes later, Sam stood in the center of the room, scanning the small space again. He was more that certain that nothing was getting in there now. He had laid out every charm he had at hand, and worked every spell and ritual he could think of to keep unwanted things from their 'home'. It was the best he could do short of turning the small room into a fortress, and the young man still had no idea what he was trying to keep out. Maybe Dean had learned something about the Korrigan? Kerri's house was strongly protected, after all, maybe the pair had found some loophole that allowed the thing access to protected spaces?

The sound of the impala's engine broke him from his thoughts a few minutes later; both Dean and Kerri looking like they had seen a ghost upon entering the room.

"What is it?" Sam asked, now more unnerved than ever. Something very, very big was going down, and he knew that he was currently out of the loop.

"Did you see anything, Sammy?" Dean asked, checking the symbols around the room before peering through the curtains, surveying the parking lot and road beyond.

"No, what would there be to see?" Sam asked incredulously, his eyes drifting over to Kerri.

If Dean was acting strange, Kerri was on another level entirely. She was still standing by the door, her eyes locked on Jake, a strange mix of sadness and fear dancing across her eyes. He had never seen her look quite so lost, quiet so distant. She was always more closed off than most people, but this was something different, it was almost as though she was afraid of Jake.

"Dean, what's going on?" Sam asked, his concern growing with every moment. They hadn't been gone more than an hour, but in that short time something had changed.

"Big, big problems." Dean began, finally moving towards Jake. He lifted the little boy up, searching his eyes. Sam couldn't for the life of him figure out what his brother was looking for. But the way he was studying Jake clued Sam in that it was something he really, really needed to know.

"Dean, what?"

"I think we figured out why Jake didn't see the big bad monster."

"Alright. Care to clue me in, or just scare the hell out of me?"

"When Jake was six months old his mom said that there was this weird man in the park." Kerri broke in, her eyes still locked on Jake, her voice small and forced.

"So." Sam began, though he already knew what she was getting at. But it couldn't be, it wasn't possible. "Lots of people hang out in parks."

"No one saw him but the mom. And Jake always threw a fit when he got near him." Dean began, resting Jake on his hip as he moved around the room. _At least he had come to the decision that the kid wasn't gonna spas out on him_, Sam thought. "Plus, the mom said it was like Jake had a sixth sense about people."

"Come on, Dean." Sam began, needing to figure this out, needing to find an answer other then what they were all thinking.

"Come on, what, Sam." Dean snapped.

Sam just looked at Jake again, his mind racing, all while little Jake sat in his brother's arms, not a care in the world. Could it really be, after all this, after everything they had gone through, everything that had happened, that they would stumble across not just any kid in the forest, but this kid in particular.

"There has to be another explanation. Just, let me check into it, alright." Sam stated, rubbing his hand over his face. This had to be something else, just a strange coincidence. They couldn't save him from a Korrigan just to know that they would lose him again to something else.

"Like what, Sammy?"

Sam couldn't believe how badly Dean was taking the news that Jake was who he was. Yeah, their lives had been turned upside-down, he and Evelyn having been through hell because of something they couldn't control. But still, Dean's reaction caught Sam off guard. It was almost as though someone had told him that Jake had a terminal illness, like the child was doomed no matter what. It was heartbreaking to say the least, and Sam didn't know what to say to the older man.

And Kerri, she seemed to have shut down completely. She was still staring at Jake, her eyes haunted, body shivering. If Sam didn't know any better, he would have said that she was afraid of him. Or, more specifically, afraid of the man that had been in the park over a year before. He could see it in her eyes, sense it rolling off her in waves. The Yellow Eyed Demon was someone Kerri was very, very much afraid of.

Sam shook himself. They weren't even sure that that was what it looked like, and they were in the middle of another hunt. Their first priority had to be the Korrigan, had to be the family; they could deal with anything else that came up later. Besides, if Jake's future was already set for him, the least they could do was let him enjoy his present, let him be a kid for just a little while longer.

"We can't worry about that now." Sam spoke a few minutes later, earning himself a death glare from Dean. "I mean it."

"So what are we supposed to worry about?"

"The Korrigan. Look, that thing's still out there looking for Jake, and the Changeling at the house is gonna hulk out in a few days. We have to finish this hunt, then we can worry about whatever Mrs. Robinson saw."

"Whatever she saw. We know what she saw, Sammy."

"No, we don't, Dean. She saw a man in the park."

"That no one else saw." Dean growled, his emotions boiling over. Sam knew that the news was upsetting, knew that Jake would be plunged into a world of darkness if it was true, but Dean's anger was still a surprise to Sam.

"Maybe no one came forward, Dean."

"Yeah, because that makes sense."

"Why are you biting my head off about this?"

"I--." Dean faltered, shifting Jake to his other hip. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Sam asked, eyebrows arching. How could Dean not know why he was lashing out. And then it hit him. Dean and Kerri's fight earlier, Dean and Kerri's attitudes now; it was Jake. Rosie had shown signs of her abilities as a baby, even though he knew they wouldn't fully develop until she reached her twenties. And now, it could be the same with Jake. But, Sam knew, that that would confirm all their suspicions, and he didn't know if he could accept that.

"Jake." Sam whispered after a few tense moments. He didn't want Jake to be like him, didn't want the little boy to be one of the special kids. But the more and more he thought about it, the more he knew it to be true. It all made sense, Dean and Kerri's heightened emotions, the stranger in the park, and even the Korrigan. There was a reason why neither Sam nor Jake had seen the monster, a reason why it was unable to project images into their minds. They were both psychics, and, by some weird rule of the supernatural world, that made them immune to tricks of the mind.

"Jake what?" Dean asked, still holding the toddler tightly. It was almost like he was afraid to put him down, afraid that he could be snatched away under their noses.

"Jake's doing it."

"Doing what, Sammy? Use your college words."

"Bite me."

"See, was that hard."

Sam just shook his head, glad that his brother had at least calmed down a little. "Jake's magnifying your emotions. That's why you two were fighting earlier."

"I thought the kids didn't get their powers till later."

"No. I think they have kind of like a weak version of it when they're little, then it goes away and comes back full strength at twenty two. I mean, when I met Rosie, her mom said it was like she could read minds."

"But you and Ev were normal."

"Really? I mean, when you really go back and look; were we?" Sam knew he was pushing his brother, knew his remarks weren't what Dean needed to hear at that moment, but he also know that there was no way around it. Sam didn't remember much about being a very small kid, and he certainly never paid attention to things like psychic abilities. But, if they went back over everything, he was more than certain that he and Ev showed signs of it all their lives.

"You were perfectly normal, Sam." Kerri's quiet voice cut through the room like ice.

Sam had only heard her voice that sharp once before. At that time he hadn't realized how out of place it sounded, hadn't remembered how light, how solid she normally was. But now he remembered her, now he wasn't standing in a dusty room, staring at pictures of a life he had forgotten; and the chill in her voice shook him to his very core. It was at that moment that Sam realized just how much things had changed.

"Look." Sam began. They needed to get back on track, needed to take care of the problem at hand before they worried if he and Ev were normal or not as children. "Special kid or not, he's still got a Korrigan after him, and that family still has a Changeling. We need to deal with that first."

"Yeah, alright." Dean mumbled, sitting on the empty bed, Jake still in his arms. "You find anything else out?"

"No, still drawing a blank at how to get the thing."

"So, walking in there and grabbing him is still our best bet."

"It's our only bet, didn't say anything about it being the best."

"And me getting tossed around by it isn't enough to give it away?"

"Dean, you getting tossed around isn't the answer to every problem."

"How do you plan on doing this?" Kerri's stony voice broke through. It was as though she was lost, her body rigid, eyes hauntingly vacant. Sam could see how much strain this entire hunt was putting on her already depleted strength; and now the news of what Jake really was seemed to take away the small bit of her that was hanging on. In that instant, Sam knew, that there was much more at stake then the safety of a family.

Kerri had already lost everything to the fight against the Yellow Eyed Demon, had already watched as her family turned to ash, he life drifting away on tendrils of smoke. And now is seemed as though it had all come back to steal away what little bit she had left.

"What do you mean, how do we plan on doing it?" Dean asked, his mind slowly coming back from the abyss he had fallen into after finding out about Jake.

"Well, I would assume you guys are gonna go try to get the Changeling."

"Yeah, tonight."

"If you remember, leaving me with Jake isn't the best of ideas."

"I know. You're coming with us."

"Come again?" Both Kerri and Sam asked in unison.

Sam knew this hunt was risky, and now with Jake's possible ties to the Yellow Eyed Demon it was on an entirely different level; but he still didn't believe that bringing Jake with them was the best of ideas. Then again, leaving Jake with Kerri wasn't the best of ideas either.

"They'll stay in the car. Look, Sammy, I can't go in there if I'm wondering what's going on back here."

"But, what if that thing attacks the car, that's gonna grab the neighbors' attention."

"What else are we supposed to do? I mean, I'm open for suggestions, Sam, but from where I'm standing, there aren't many."

"I'll stay in the car with Jake, you and Kerri head into the house for the Changeling."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because, I'm older and I said no."

"Dean, that's not gonna work right now."

"These Changeling's are like babies on steroids, and if you haven't noticed, Kerri's not really in the best of shape to get tossed around."

"But she's healthy enough to go toe to toe with a Korrigan? It's the lesser of two evils, Dean."

"This sucks." Dean began, punching the bedspread.

Sam knew what his brother meant, hell, one look at Kerri and everyone would know what he meant. She was still suffering the effects of the painting, still recovering from the gunshot wound that nearly cost her her life, and now she had a concussion to add to the list. She was fading fast, he could see that, but they had no other options. He and Jake were immune to the Korrigan, Dean and Kerri weren't. So, it made sense that he stay with the kid, even if no one liked that idea.

Besides, the Changeling was all of two feet tall; and no matter what amount of superhuman strength it had, his brother and Kerri should still be able to handle it.


	10. Chapter 10

_Hello again, thank you all for the reviews, i hope everyone is still enjoying the story. as always, let me know what you think. _

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 10

Dean and Kerri crept slowly down the alley, the pair barely more than shadows in the moonless night. They had so much going against them at that moment, that it wasn't even funny, but it was what they had been given, and Dean knew that it was what they had to work with. His life was like a patchwork quilt; tattered bits of things sewn together in the hopes of creating something beautiful. He had learned long ago to hold onto thing, remember things, to cherish the moment at hand; because, without fail, he would lose it. Everything he had, everyone he loved was taken away from him, so why should now be any different.

He looked up at the large house, the windows dark, white siding shinning out against the inky night. He'd been forced to lose everything, to watch as his world slipped through his grasp. He had sworn long ago to protect those that couldn't protect themselves, to rid the world of all the evil that crossed his path. But it seemed that no matter how many things he killed, no matter how many spirits he put to rest, there was always more evil, more darkness to take its place. And now Jake.

Dean wanted to save him, needed to save him, but, like always, there was something else waiting in the wings. He thought that he would kill the Korrigan and Changeling, leaving Jake to live a normal, safe, happy life. But now, now that had all changed. Jake was like Sam, like Evelyn, and he couldn't help but feel like he was failing the toddler. Except for Sam, all of the special children he'd met had ended up the same. If they didn't kill the Yellow Eyed Demon, if they didn't put a stop to whatever it was planning, then Jake would become hunted, if he wasn't already.

The Yellow Eyed Demon had watched both mother and child, stalked the family like a panther in the mist, always a few paces behind, yet still never seen. It was after the boy, even now, and as much as Dean hated to admit it, it had probably been the same with both Sam and Evelyn. They'd passed countless people on the street when they were small, hell, it was impossible not to, but all he could think of now was that one of those people was the Demon, one of the strangers wasn't a stranger at all.

It was one of the most terrifying thoughts to cross the young hunter's mind. The Demon had always been there, following them, watching them, and wanting Sam. Saying it wasn't fair would be the understatement of the century; it was wrong on every level of his mind and soul, and Dean had never felt so powerless in all his life. The Demon had come into his life and ripped it apart, not once, but twice, and the more the hunter learned, the more he realized that hunting the Demon could be the last thing he ever did.

Dean was brought back to the moment when Kerri cursed, falling to the ground before he had the chance to catch her.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked anxiously, surveying her as he helped pull her from the ground. He had had reservations from the very beginning. Yes, it had been his idea to take her there in the first place, but he wanted to keep her in the car, behind as much salt as he could find.

But Sam was right, it was the lesser of two evils. Kerri wasn't strong enough to deal with either a Korrigan or a Changeling, but, like the rest of the pieces that made up his patchwork life, he just dealt with it. He still couldn't face what he had done to her, though, couldn't forgive himself for what he had put her through, what he had taken from her. Every time he looked at her now, all he saw was the effects of the painting, and he knew it was all his fault.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just got my jeans caught on the fence."

"You wanna rest?"

"We're in someone's backyard looking for a monster baby, and you wanna know if I need a nap?" Kerri asked, a smirk spreading slowly across her face.

"Hey, I was just asking."

"Like I said, Dean, I'm fine. Stop looking at me like I'm gonna drop dead."

"Excuse me for being concerned."

"You're being way more then concerned."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ever since Montana you've been looking at me like I'm gonna blow away."

"You almost died, Kerri."

"Almost. I'm still here, Dean, and I'm fine."

"You're far from fine."

"Yeah, but I'm far from frail and dying, too. Look, Dean, I got hurt, it's not your fault, it's just the way it went."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Fine." Kerri shook her head, moving off ahead of Dean.

He watched her as she walked, soaking up everything he could, burning her into his memory. They were on shaky ground, and they were falling further and further each day. It was like he was slowly going blind, his world fading away bit by bit, his past walking off into the darkness that had become his future. He needed Kerri, needed the strong girl he had known since childhood, the girl that had taken on the world, and put it in its place. Ever since his return to Valley, though, she'd been different, lost, and all he wanted to do was find her.

The pair slowed even more as they reached the house, Dean shorting out the security system before prying open an unlocked window. Dean really didn't understand people sometimes, putting all their trust in computers and their own ill conceived ideas of safety, all while leaving themselves completely exposed. It was something he'd seen far too often as a hunter. Evil was everywhere; in dark alleys, distant countries, and living rooms around the world.

Dean slipped into the house first, helping Kerri climb through the window before pulling out a large silver dagger. Kerri gave him a sideways, what-the-hell look before turning towards the hall, following the older hunter as he crept through the house. Dean didn't care that they were going up against a creature less than half his size, he was going to be prepared no matter what. Besides, they had no idea whether or not the Korrigan would show up to make things more difficult.

They had no way of knowing where the larger creature was, or what its plans may be. All they knew was that super baby was gonna go cannibal if they didn't do something, and at that moment, that was the more pressing issue. Whether he was a special kid or not, Jake still needed someone to go back to, still needed a home. Is was the least Dean could do for him, the little bit of the world the hunter actually had the power to control. He didn't know if he'd be able to stop the Yellow Eyed Demon, didn't know if, in the end, he would be able to keep Jake from it. But, at that moment, it wasn't what he needed to be focusing on.

The pair made their way up the stairs, both silent as shadows as they crept around the house. Kerri had always been very quiet, her ability to sneak around a house something she'd been born with. Since the day he first met her she had been the one person that could actually take a fully trained hunter by surprise. It was both a blessing and a curse, since she had used that ability to sneak up on him on more than one occasion. Really, for someone who claimed she wasn't a hunter, she was pretty good at hunting.

Dean scanned the nursery while Kerri quietly clicked off the baby monitor, the pair remaining still for several long moments, listening for the sound of either parent coming down the hall. Once they were certain the coast was clear, Dean spoke.

"So, do I have to make beer in an acorn now?"

"I told Sam not to tell you that." Kerri whispered back, shooting Dean a look before moving to the crib.

"What can I say, I'm a master at getting him to spill."

"What an amazing talent you have."

"So, seriously, what do we have to do? I mean, we found that article that said to stab it, but I don't think thats the best thing to do inside the house."

"I could always just pick it up and run, but something tells me he won't keep sleeping." Kerri contemplated, watching the sleeping form in the crib.

Dean leaned over her shoulder, survey the creature. From where he stood, it looked exactly like Jake, and if he didn't know any better, he would have sworn that it was the little boy asleep in the bed. This entire hunt was so freakishly twisted that Dean didn't even know what to think anymore. The innocent looking child in the crib was actually a monster, waiting to eat its parents, and the real kid was a psychic sitting out in the car. Oh yes, his life was definitely twisted.

"We could always just wake it up and see what happens." Dean commented, nudging Kerri.

"I thought the whole plan was to get the thing out of here without the parents waking up."

"Really, 'cause I thought the plan was to get the thing out of here before it ate the parents."

"Can we just try the subtle approach first, Dean?"

"Subtle, huh, always game for something new."

"You're amazing, Winchester." Kerri chided, moving to the other side of the small bed.

"Thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment."

"Hey, I take what I can get. So, you have an approach yet?"

"I'm thinking grab and go."

"I take it I'm gonna be the one doing the grabbing."

"I did bring you here for a reason."

"Alright, here, take this." Dean rubbed his face with his free hand, giving the knife to Kerri. He knew the thing the crib was a monster, something evil that had to be stopped, but the idea of stabbing it with a silver blade was still sickening to him. After all, it look exactly like a two year old kid.

"You ready?" Kerri asked, moving a few steps back. Dean knew she was scanning for the quickest exit, but it was still a little disconcerting to have you back up backing up.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Alright, grab the thing and then follow me."

"Ker, if it goes crazy on us, we gotta finish it, in the house or not."

"I know."

"Ok, up we go." Dean reached down into the crib, grabbing the Changeling under the arms and pulling it up to his chest, pinning the creature there. But, instead of struggling, instead of tossing him around like a toddler on steroids, it just let out a little sigh, and continued sleeping, its little head resting against Dean's shoulder.

"Well." Dean began, looking between the Changeling and Kerri. "That was unexpected."

"Tell me about it. Let's get out of here before it changes its mind."

"Hey, Ker." Dean began as the pair made their way quietly down the hall, the Changeling still sleeping peacefully in his arms. "Are you one hundred percent sure that this is the Changeling? Because, it's really baby like at the moment."

"Maybe it's trying to trick us."

"Yeah, well, let's figure it out at the car. You know, before stabbing it or anything."

"Honey." Kerri and Dean both froze when they heard the voice. "Honey, did you remember to turn the monitor on?"

"Son of a bitch." Dean mumbled, back tracking down the hall just as the bedroom door began to open. They barely managed to slip down the stairs before Candice entered the hall. _'Well,'_ Dean thought as he and Kerri slipped out a window, _'So much for switching kids before the parents found out.'_

Dean and Kerri made it about halfway across the backyard when they heard the scream, Candice Robinson's distressed voice ringing out over the silent neighborhood. They ran back towards the broken fence as fast as they could, slipping through it and vanishing into the dark alley mere seconds before the large floodlights flickered on behind them. They needed to get as far away from the house as they could, because, Changeling or not, they'd just taken a baby from its home.

They had decided to leave the impala a few blocks away, a decision that Dean couldn't have been happier with when he heard the echo of the distant sirens. He followed Kerri quickly through the dark alley, staying to the shadows the high shrubs offered. They were completely concealed from the prying eyes of the Robinson's neighbors; the hunters listening intently to growing voices as curios onlookers awoke to the sound of police cruisers. So much for subtlety.

Through it all, though, the Jake in Dean's arms slept, not a care in the world. And that only caused Dean's uncertainty to grow with each passing moment. Because, if this baby was the actual Jake, then they had a whole new set of problems on their hands. Like, for instance, who the hell was with Sam?


	11. Chapter 11

_thank you all once again for the great reviews, they really, really make my day. i hope you all enjoy the next chapter, as always, drop me a line and let me know what you think. :) _

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 11

Sam sat in the silent car, Jake asleep on his lap. He still didn't agree with Dean's plan, and he really didn't agree with the fact that Kerri had gone to the house in his place. What he had said before was true, it was the lesser of two evils, but that didn't make matters any less dangerous. He wished there was some way to keep her safe, to keep her out of harm's way completely. But if the Korrigan could get through the defenses around her house, then it could get to her anywhere. Tom Harrison had gone to great lengths to ensure that his house was a place safe from monsters and demons, and, while both the Watcher and the Korrigan had managed to manipulate the minds of those inside, nothing else had made it past the perimeter.

But Tom Harrison wasn't around anymore. Yes, the protection he had laid during his life was still there, still keeping his daughter safe as she slept, but Kerri was far from fine. She was sick and hurt, and the youngest Winchester could see her slowly beginning to fade. He needed to take care of her, to keep her safe, to step in where her father had left off. For so long Tom had taken them in, had sheltered the small Winchester family, and he never once asked for anything in return. But he had left so much behind in his absence.

Tom had been lost to his grief the night he died, Sam knew that, but he still couldn't accept the fact that the senior Harrison had chosen one daughter over another. Had had still stayed behind, had still burned to death along with Evelyn, had still left Kerri completely alone. And now, Sam wanted nothing more than to keep her safe, to keep the darkness from swallowing her whole. Her father may have laid the ground work for her protection, but Sam was going to see to it that those barriers held firm.

At that moment, though, he couldn't have felt like more of a failure. It was painfully obvious the Kerri was sick, her body injured and aging because of him. He'd promised Dean he would be able to look after her, had promised to not let her out of his sight, and then he had gone and lost her in a matter of minutes. And now, instead of leaving her be, hidden from the world, they were dragging her out into the danger, bringing her along on yet another hunt. Kerri needed to rest, needed to be at home, not sneaking into someone's house to steal what a set of parents believed to be their child. Yes, Sam thought bitterly, looking back down at Jake, their lives were definitely screwed up.

He couldn't believe the child in his arms was like him, that his family had been hunted by the Demon. Even though it hadn't killed Candice Robinson like it had his and Kerri's mothers, it had still been there, watching them, waiting for who knew what. Sam felt a deep anger burning within him, filling up his entire being, wrapping itself around him like a blanket. He needed to stop this, needed to put an end to it. It had killed so many, had taken away the people he loved, sending both his family and the Harrisons down their current paths of darkness.

Mary, Elizabeth, Jessica, and Evelyn. They had all been stolen away by the Demon, had all had their lived cut short because of the bastard's master plan. Four women, all lost so young, leaving behind nothing but shattered bits of what could have been. He could feel his heart beat increasing as he thought about them, his mind drifting back to Jessica, pinned to the ceiling, and to Evelyn, the little girl he had left behind twelve years before. It wasn't right. They all had so much, could have been so much, but one single, solitary hell spawn had destroyed it all.

Sam was brought back by Jake, the little boy squirming in his arms, tears leaking down his face. The young hunter could feel the anger running through his veins, rushing through his ears with a deafening roar. But this wasn't Jake's doing, and that fact shook Sam to his very core. It was his anger, his soul, his lack on control. It was everything the Demon had told him he would become. He shook himself, rubbing soothing circles around the toddler's back as he worked to even out his breathing.

All the other 'special' kids had turned into killer, turned into monsters, and Sam could feel that reality breathing down his neck. Hell, even Evelyn had begun to turn. He still couldn't believe Kerri's words on the day of their return. He hadn't remembered her at that moment, but once he did, he realized how wrong that entire conversation had been. Evelyn had been a joy, that was the only way Sam could ever really describe her. She worshiped the ground Kerri walked on, and he knew that Kerri loved the dark haired little girl dearly.

But then he and his brother had left, and everything had gone to hell. Sam could still hear Kerri's weak voice in his head, the words stabbing at him, ripping into him with a pain he hadn't felt since Jessica died.

_'Over time, I don't know, she just changed. She scared me a little, honestly.'_

In all the time he had known her, Sam had never though of Evelyn as anything other than caring and inquisitive. She loved everything; well, everything except the 'Sad men'. So, to hear Kerri say that she had been afraid of her own sister, of Evelyn, was like having the sky crash down on top of him. And it only made Sam fear his own destiny even more. Because, if a girl like Evelyn could fall to the Demon's power, then Sam was sure as hell next.

He looked back down at Jake when he felt the little boy slowly begin to still, the child drifting back off into a peaceful sleep, his tiny hands wrapped around the fabric of Sam's shirt. He had to fight this, had to be better than the Demon, had to kill it. Because he would be damned if he was going to let Jake turn into him.

Sam was brought out of his inner thoughts a moment later, his heartbeat quickening when he saw Kerri and Dean. He didn't really know what he had expected upon their return, but the sight that greeted him was definitely not it. The pair was walking quickly down the dark sidewalk, sirens echoing from somewhere in the distance. But, the thing that worried Sam most wasn't the police that were quickly converging on the area. No, what worried him most was the little kid Dean held tightly in his arms.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sam asked exasperated as the pair climbed into the car.

"What's it look like I'm doing?" Dean shot back, handing the new Jake to Sam as Kerri took the other one.

"It looks like you're bringing a Changeling into the car. And, by the sound of it, people know the baby's missing."

"Way to go, Mr. Obvious. You tell me, Sam, does that kid look like a monster to you?"

Sam opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again just as quickly. He looked down at the little boy asleep in his arms, the toddler laying quietly against his chest in exactly the same position the other Jake had been mere moments before. In all honesty, he couldn't see a difference at all, but that didn't mean it wasn't a Changeling.

"Maybe it's faking?"

"Sam, faking or not, it was gonna ape out and eat the parents if we left it there."

"Great, so you brought it with you so it could ape out and eat us."

"It was Kerri's idea."

"Hey. It was a suggestion, you could have come up with something better." Kerri broke in from the back seat, the original Jake sleeping soundly on her lap.

"Look, Changeling, psychic baby, or something else all together, we need to get out of here." Dean's voice left no room for argument, and Sam knew he was right. They now had duplicates of a baby boy just reported stolen from his house, and the fact that Dean was on the FBI's most wanted list was definitely not going to play in their favor.

They needed to get back to the motel, and needed to figure out what the hell was going on. He still wasn't at all convinced that the baby Dean and Kerri had taken from the Robinson's house wasn't a Changeling; after all, they were supposed to be smart. After seeing the thing, though, he understood the pair's reservations. The Changeling was so much like a regular kid, exactly like Jake in every way, and the idea of stabbing it wasn't something that was going to come easily to any of them. And Sam had a sneaky suspicion that the Changeling knew that.

The ride back to the motel had been quiet, all three lost to their own minds, the two toddlers asleep as though they didn't have a care in the world. Forget the fact that one wasn't a baby at all, and the other was hounded by a demon-- no, in that quiet car, they were nothing more than sleeping children. It was just another sign of how truly screwed up their lives were, a testament to the warped reality Sam had fallen into at six months old.

They made their way back to the motel as quickly as they could. The city was more than likely crawling with police at that point, and Sam for one didn't want to be out in public any longer than necessary. Both Jakes remained asleep as they moved into the room, Kerri laying her boy on the farthest bed, while Sam placed his on the other. Now that they were more or less side by side, they looked even more identical. Sam had to hand it to the creature, it was doing a really good job of impersonating the boy.

"So." Dean began, double checking all Sam's added protection before settling down on Kerri and 'original' Jake's bed. "What do you think it is?"

"Do you really think this is something we should be discussing right in front of it?" Kerri chimed in, her eyes drifting to the 'baby' on the other bed.

Sam knew she was right. If the child was indeed a Changeling, discussing their plans right in front of it probably wasn't the best idea. It already knew they were up to something, already knew that they were onto its charade, and he for one didn't want the thing knowing anymore. And if it wasn't a Changeling-- well that they could deal with later.

"Well then what do you suggest?" Dean asked, his voice sharp. "It's not like we can leave the babies here alone."

"I'll stay inside with them." Sam decided, earning a glare from Dean.

"Then how the hell are we supposed to discuss our next move?"

"Look, we can't walk around with either of them, and we can't sit here and talk about it. And, since I'm the only one the Korrigan can't mind meld, I think I should be the one to stay."

"That's all very fine and logical, Sammy, but it doesn't answer my question."

"We can call him on the phone."

"Ker, stop helping."

"We don't have that many options, Dean."

"So a conference call is your bright solution."

"I didn't say anything about it being a good idea, I said it was an idea."

"And right now it's our only one." Sam broke in, stopping the fight he knew was coming. In Dean's defense, the plan pretty much sucked, but that seemed to be a theme with them lately, and Sam knew there was no use fighting it. The Changeling would still hear half the conversation; he just hoped that it wouldn't be enough for them to get caught.

"I'm not gonna let you two hangout together anymore if you're just gonna gang up on me each time." Dean crumbled, heading towards the door.

Sam watched as Kerri and Dean climbed into the impala, the pair still arguing about something. He couldn't help but smile. For the first time in a long time, he felt whole again, and he knew that Kerri had a lot to do with that. They had all lost so much, had so much taken away from them, but now, for the first time, something was given back, and Sam was going to hold onto her with all the strength he could find.

He frowned a little when they continued to argue, neither going for their phones. He just shook his head, pulling out his own phone.

"What!" Dean answered after a few rings.

"Now who'd being a girl?"

"Shut up, Sam."

"Are you two ready, or do you want a few more minutes alone. Because, you know, it's not like I have a massive problem in here or anything."

"I'm not the one that told you to stay in there with the diaper brigade."

"Dean, give me the phone." Sam heard Kerri's voice, and watched through the window as she tried to reach for it.

"Get your own."

"I'm gonna put it on speaker phone."

"Oh."

Sam moved away from the window, shaking his head; they really were a pair. After a few seconds of silence, Kerri's voice broke through again.

"Sam?"

"Yeah, I'm here. All good on your end?'

"Peachy." Dean mumbled.

"Yeah, we're good."

"Alright."

"Are the babies sleeping?"

"Don't you mean, possible homicidal creatures." Dean chimed in again.

"Yes, the babies are sleeping."

"Where are you?"

"Bathroom."

"Ew, Sam."

"I'm not using it, Dean, I'm standing here so neither hears me."

"Oh."

"Anyone have any ideas yet?"

"I thought you were the idea guru, Kerri."

"You're not helping matters, grumpy."

"We need to get the Changeling to show itself." Sam broke in, closing his eyes and praying for patients. Their earlier fight had been a result of Jake, but Sam knew that this fight was caused by nothing more than frayed nerves.

"I've got an acorn, anyone got any hops?"

"Dean, I was being serious." Sam sighed, grateful that he wasn't in the car with his brother at the moment.

"So was I."

"We could leave it in the room and set up a camera." Kerri began and Sam just knew that his brother was glaring at her.

"What's it gonna do, wait till we leave and get up and write a book?"

"Well, it's a better plan then getting tossed around by it."

"Guys." Sam broke in, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Sam? What?" Dean answered, the sound of the car door opening accompanying his voice.

"I don't think we have a problem anymore." Sam moved slowly across the small bathroom, his back hitting the tiles when he reached the opposite wall, his eyes never leaving the sight before him. It was Jake, and he looked hungry.


	12. Chapter 12

_thank you all once again for the great, great reviews. there isnt too much more to go. two chapters left, three at the very most. thank you all for sticking with it. as always let me know what you think of the newest chappy. :)_

_enjoy_

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 12

Sam stood in the small bathroom, watching the creature before him. It was surreal to say the least, and Sam didn't know whether to laugh or scream. Here he was, twenty five and six foot five, and he was being held at bay by a two and a half foot toddler. It was like he was being attacked by a mini-me. He heard his brother telling Kerri to take the real Jake and run, the door slamming again as Dean came up behind the Changeling. But, instead of advancing on either of them, instead of aping out and tossing Sam around the small space, it just stood there, staring.

"I tell you." Dean began, moving forward slowly, obviously knowing the creature was aware of his presence. "For something that's supposed to be super smart, it's acting pretty dumb."

The second Dean reached for the child, however, the thing pounced. It grabbed one of Dean's outstretched arms, flipping the much larger hunter over its head, sending him careening into Sam. He tried to duck, but the movement of the creature was too fast, and Sam was hit full force by his brother. He blinked several times, his vision clouding as his head collided with the tile wall behind him. It took both men several seconds to recover from the impact, Dean cursing, de-tangling himself from Sam as they listened to the creature laugh.

"Oh, you son of a bitch. You alright, Sammy?"

"Oh yeah, I'm super. Dean." Sam began, pushing himself to his knees, Dean laying on his back beside him.

"Yeah?"

"It's looking at us again." And sure enough, the demented toddler was staring at them once more, the being remaining freakishly still as it watched their every movement.

"I guess no one ever told it not to play with its food." Dean grumbled, pushing himself to his feet and advancing on the evil Jake. This time, Sam did duck quick enough. "This is getting old." Dean mumbled, as Sam helped him to his knees, the older hunter looking worse for wear but still intact after his second trip into the wall.

"Dean, why isn't it eating us?"

"What are you, in a rush?"

"No, I mean something's not right. It's almost like it's trying to keep us in here."

The piercing sound of the impala's horn drowned out whatever Dean was going to say. Sam's heart nearly stopped, his mind running a mile a minute as everything fell into place. The Changeling was smart, too smart, and they'd fallen for the trap. They'd sent Kerri outside the protective perimeter of the motel room, with Jake, while he and Dean had remained behind. And judging by the deep, guttural growl from Dean, his brother realized the mistake, too.

The horn blared for several long seconds, the noise filling up all the air around them, suffocating them, their hearts beating fast as they listened to the noise. Kerri was out there with something, and by the sound of it, she was losing. The brothers spared a glance at each other before rushing the Changeling, the creature tossing Dean into the wall with just one hand, the other tiny fist wrapping around the fabric of Sam's jeans, sending the young man crashing to the ground. But, while it had effectively kept Dean in the bathroom, Sam was now out in the main room, where a silver dagger sat gleaming on the table.

He heard Dean growl again, signaling to Sam that he was once again rushing the creature. The younger hunter jumped up when he saw the Changeling move to deflect Dean once more. The instant Sam moved, however, the Changeling was on top of him. He wrestled with the creature, the baby's sharp fingers ripping into his flesh as it clawed at him, trying, and succeeding, to pull him back into the bathroom. With one last burst of energy Sam reached out, pulling at the leg of the table, sending it and everything on top of it crashing to the floor. The Changeling leapt from him when the dagger clattered to the ground, racing towards the object before the hunter. But Sam was a fraction of a second quicker, and an instant later, the room fell into an empty silence, the air around them so heavy, that Sam could barely breath.

He laid on the ground for several second, not wanting to look up at the creature he'd just stabbed. He knew it wasn't a child, knew it was a killer, but that wasn't going to lessen the shock of seeing it any less. It was going to look like a dead child, and that wasn't something Sam was sure he'd be able to handle. A second later, though, he felt the being beneath him melt away, a thick, grey dust the only remains of the creature. His moment of triumph was short lived, however, when he heard his brother curse, screaming out Kerri's name. He looked up just as Dean came back into the room.

"She's gone, Sammy. They both are."

66666666666666

Kerri blinked awake slowly, her entire body aching. Why the hell did she feel like she'd just been run over by a truck? She rubbed at her forehead, wincing when her shoulder protested the movement. She would have said that she felt like absolute crap, except crap probably felt a little bit better. She searched her mind, trying to figure out how she had ended up where she was, wherever the hell that actually was. It looked like a motel room, but she'd just been in a motel and it didn't look similar at all.

She sprang up at the memory, the last few hours coming back to her with remarkable clarity. They'd brought the Changeling back to the motel with them, which was, in hindsight, a huge mistake. Just as Sam had predicted, it wolfed out and went after him. They'd run into the room to find Sam, cornered by the creature, which was when Dean told her to take Jake and run.

Jake! She looked around the room frantically, her eyes adjusting to the dim light slower than she liked. She was definitely in a motel room, but she was certain that it wasn't the same motel she'd been at. No, this one didn't look like it had been touched in years, the wallpaper peeling and molding as water ran down the walls. She pushed herself up at the sight, the mattress she found herself laying on smelled like mold and rot and who knew what else.

She let out a long breath when she saw the toddler laying on the bed next to her's. He was sobbing quietly, his face buried in his arms, small body shaking as he cried. Kerri didn't know how long she'd been out, but she was more than certain that Jake had remained in that position the entire time. How the hell had they gotten there? The last thing she remembered was sitting in the impala.

Kerri moved gingerly to the other bed, pulling Jake up into her arms. The little boy screamed and thrashed, fighting her off for several long minutes before he realized who she was. And, once he did, he dug his little face into her shoulder and held onto her for dear life. She couldn't blame him, though, she was a fully grown adult and terrified, lord only knew what was going through his head. She continued to hold him in her arms, rocking him gently as she searched her pockets for her cell phone, relieved when she found it not only intact, but with a signal.

She had no idea what the Korrigan was planning, if that's what grabbed them in the first place, but she was more than certain that, trap or not, things would go a whole lot smoother with Sam and Dean there. Well, maybe not smoother, she decided, dialing Dean's number, but she herself would feel a hell of a lot better with the brothers by her side.

"Please, please tell me you just went for coffee or something?" Dean's desperate and worried voice broke through the static.

"Yeah, what flavor do you want?"

"Where the hell are you?"

"I don't know."

"Is Jake there?"

"Yeah, I've got him."

"Damn-it, Kerri, we've been looking for you for four hours. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Honestly, sitting in the car."

"Nothing else?"

"No. I swear, Dean, one minute I'm sitting in the car, the next I'm waking up in mold city."

"Any guesses as to where it's keeping you?"

"I'm in a motel, but it looks like it's been abandoned for about ten years. Either that, or I'm in the economy suite."

"What's it near?"

"Uh, I haven't actually looked yet."

"Just, go to the window, don't let it think you're leaving."

"How are you so certain that this is the Korrigan?"

"Because, turns out baby baddie was just trying to keep us occupied."

"Where is it now?

"Taken care of. All that's left is you and momma baddie. Anything?"

"Nah, the window's boarded up." Kerri sighed, dropping the curtain before moving towards the door. "Holy. Sh…."

"What, what is it?"

"Oh my god."

"What?"

"The freaking thing's standing right outside the door."

"What?"

"It's like it's keeping guard or something. Dean? Dean?" Kerri looked at her phone, cursing at the no signal sign. This was definitely not good.

"What the hell's it doing out there?" Kerri mumbled to no one in particular, trying Dean again, even though she knew the call wouldn't go through.

"Waiting." Kerri jumped at the voice, spinning around and staring at the man behind her.

"Who the hell are you? And where'd you come from?"

"What can I say, I'm full of surprises." The man smiled, sickly yellow eyes surveying Kerri as she backed up a step.

Her heart stopped when she saw its eyes, her mind screaming at her to run. But she was trapped, the Korrigan was standing guard, keeping her inside, and help outside.

"What do you want?"

"World peace."

"I wouldn't have thought something like you needed a Korrigan to do its dirty work."

"Ouch. Low blow." The Yellow Eyed Demon chided, smiling when Kerri stumbled and nearly fell as she backed up again. "If you must know, I normally prefer to work alone. But even I can't pass up a good opportunity."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you see. It wanted something that belongs to me, so I set up a little trade."

"Jake isn't yours."

"Wouldn't be so sure about that, Kerri."

"None of them are yours." Kerri answered defiantly. She would rather die before she let the thing in front her lay claim to any of the special children.

"Any who." It smiled, eyeing the door before turning back to her. "Like I was saying, I'm here to make sure what's mine stays safe."

"Why don't I believe that. I mean, you want him, take him."

"I don't want him."

"Then what?"

"I told you I made a deal. Korrigan's need hearts to survive, two to be exact. That's why it always goes for the babies, or more specifically, their parents. You proved to be a little more trouble then I thought, though. You see, the thing gets weaker and weaker the longer it has to wait, and attacking you at your house, that just about killed it."

"So?"

"So. I figured I could make this a win, win situation. I've got two of my children to check up on, and two hunters that just so happen to be in the way."

"Well, you checked up on them, we kicked ass. So why not just let the Korrigan die?"

"My world's governed by rules just like yours, sweetheart. If the Korrigan dies, so does Jake."

"You're lying."

"Oh, I seem to have struck a cord. What a dilemma you have. You die, baby lives. You live, baby dies."

"That's not true."

"Why would I lie to you?"

"That a trick question?"

"Evelyn was right, you're smarter than you look."

"Don't say her name."

"Who's name, Ev's?"

"Shut up."

"Now now, is that anyway to talk to someone who can break your neck just by thinking about it."

"Yes. What're you really after?"

"The honest truth? I want Dean dead, this seems like an entertaining way. You, well that's just a bonus."

Kerri's heart was racing, the Demon before her smiling at her with a lust and hatred she had never before experienced. They were dealing with more than just a Korrigan, more than just a Changeling. The creature was being controlled by the Yellow Eyed Demon, and it had been after them since the very beginning. Everything, the other families, the fact that the Changeling chose a psychic child, it was all the Yellow Eyed Demon's doing. It was all a test, she knew it, and they'd walked right into it.


	13. Chapter 13

_here it is, another update!! thank you all so, so much for the great reviews, they really make my day. there's only one more chapter left after this one. thank you all so much for sticking with the story. as always, let me know what you think. :)_

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS **

Chapter 13

"Kerri? Kerri? Damn it." Dean cursed, slamming his phone closed.

"What? Where is she?"

"I have no idea. An abandoned motel from what it sounds." Dean rubbed a hand over his tired face, his mind processing Kerri's final words to him. The Korrigan was there, standing in front of the door like a sentinel, but why? Something major was going on here, something they'd missed, and Dean's heart was racing with the realization. They'd been played.

"Did she say anything else?"

"Only that the Korrigan's standing at the front door. The call cut out after that."

"Dean, what the hell's going on here?"

"I have no idea, Sammy." Dean spat, his voice softening a bit when he saw the look on his brother's face. "I'm sorry, Sam."

"It's fine, Dean. Did she say anything else before you lost her?"

"Jake's with her, she said he's alright."

"So, at least they're together."

"But why lock them up in a motel room, why keep them?"

"I don't know. I mean, in most Changeling lore, the thing always keeps the human children, maybe that's what it's doing."

"But why Kerri? I just feel like we're missing something here, Sam."

"I know. Did anything else sound off when you spoke to her?"

"More off then being kidnapped by a baby snatcher? No, Sam, nothing comes to mind."

"Dean, you gotta stay calm."

"I am calm."

"No, you're not. Alright, you said abandoned motel?"

"Yeah." Dean sighed, throwing himself down on one of the beds. They'd driven around the city at least a hundred times, passing by several abandoned buildings. But, for the life of him, Dean couldn't remember if there was a motel in the mix or not. His mind was too preoccupied with Kerri.

She sounded alright on the phone, terrified, but alright, yet it still did nothing to calm the hunter's fears. She'd vanished from right outside the motel, gone like a shadow into the night, and he couldn't stop thinking that he may never find her again. Everything about this hunt had the earmarks of something else, the undercurrent of something more sinister at work. And the fact that the Korrigan had chosen one of the special children was at the heart of it all.

"I think I might know where she is." Sam's voice broke Dean from his thoughts, his little brother scanning the computer as he spoke.

"Where?"

"I remember driving past an old place on the way in. It's out on the highway. Apparently, it was closed down ten years ago after a flood."

"Mold city." Dean breathed, already grabbing the weapons bag.

"What?"

"Kerri said she was in mold city."

"Well, a flood would do that." Sam added, closing the laptop and following his brother out the door.

66666666666

Fifteen minutes later the brothers pulled up a few blocks away from the old Lucky Stars motel. Kerri's description had been pretty right on, Dean thought, he and Sam scanning the building from the cover of the forest around it. The motel was far removed, all the other structures that had once surrounded it having been torn down after the floods. It was the perfect place for creatures of the night to hide, and one sweep of the building told him he was in the right spot. There, standing before a back room, scanning the forest, was a strangely beautiful woman.

"Bingo." Dean whispered, nudging Sam when he saw the Korrigan. The creature's silver eyes were visible in the pale moonlight, the being watching the trees, staring down each and ever shadow, waiting. "What do you think it's looking for?"

"Us." Sam whispered back, his eyes never leaving the door behind the Korrigan.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, Dean, this has trap written all over it."

"Well, it's doing a pretty sucky job of trying to trick us."

"That's because it's not the one doing the tricking."

"What?"

"Something else's here, Dean. I can feel it."

"Let's deal with one problem at a time, alright."

"Yeah, sure."

"So, shoot it with silver?"

"Yup, same as any shape-shifter."

"That's easy enough. You think it will keep standing still for us?"

Sam just shot Dean a look before turning his eyes back to the motel. Dean knew it was wishful thinking, but hell, maybe their luck would finally change. Yeah right. He pulled out his .45, checking the clip before moving past Sam. The pair approached the creature from different angles, Dean coming in from the east, and Sam creeping up from the south east. The plan was for the Korrigan to go after Dean, leaving Sam with a clear shot.

The plan seemed like a easy one, hell, it was an easy one, which was why Dean was more than certain that it wouldn't work. If there was one thing he knew, it was that Winchester luck was pretty much nonexistent. He waited till he was about fifty yards from his brother before he started stomping through the underbrush, purposefully making as much noise as he could as he crept towards the motel. And, it seemed to be working.

The Korrigan's gaze drifted over to Dean, her tall and slender body moving towards him, almost as though she was hovering on the wind. Dean had to admit that she was beautiful. Yes, it was beautiful in a super creepy way, but it was beauty none the less. His eyes locked on her's as she floated towards him, a soft voice echoing through the forest, resounding in his ears. He could feel the words wrapping around him, feel the Korrigan's warm breath against his skin, pulling him, inviting him.

The night was gone, drown out by the beauty before him, the woman's pale skin shining in the moonlight, lips soft and full as she smiled a sweet, sensual smile. He tried to raise his gun again, but his body failed him, his mind concentrating on nothing but the woman before him. He realized he wasn't breathing, realized the edges of his vision were going dark, but he didn't care about any of it. All he saw was the beauty before him, his every sense focused on her, needing her.

A sudden gunshot ripped through the night; the soft voice morphing into an ear shattering scream. Dean blinked several times, pulling in much needed air, his jeans dampened from the soft mud of the forest floor. _When the hell had he fallen down?_ He let the cold night air fill his lungs, his heart beating painfully in his chest as he fought off a wave of dizziness. He felt like he'd just run a marathon.

"What part of 'like a siren' don't you get, Dean?"

"What?" Dean asked, trying to focus on a memory, but failing miserably. Yeah, Sam had been telling him all sorts of 'useful information' but Sam always did that.

"Korrigan's are like sirens. They lure men in, then kill them."

"And they steal babies? Why can't monsters stick to one specialty."

"That thing almost killed you and you're worried about its job description?"

"I'm just saying it would be nice to have a baddie that sticks to a routine."

"Whatever, Dean. You alright?" Sam asked, pulling Dean to his feet before he could refuse.

"Yes, Samantha, I'm fine. Did you get it?"

"Yeah."

Dean breathed a sigh of relief. This whole stupid hunt was over, finally, and he just wanted to sleep for a month. Well, he wanted to make sure Kerri was ok, then find some way to return Jake without getting arrested-- then he'd sleep for a month.

"Next time we find a Changeling, we're calling someone else."

"You're gonna outsource a hunt?"

"Damn straight." Dean smirked, making his way to the motel. He kept his guard up, though, his senses telling him that something was still off. After all, Kerri should have heard both the gunshot and the scream, and she wasn't the kind of person to sit back and wait to be rescued. So, the fact that she still hadn't showed worried Dean more than anything else.

The brothers made their way to the door, Sam taking point as Dean tried the knob. Much to his surprise, it was unlocked. He slid into the room, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. It looked like any normal motel room; small, barely furnished, and smelly. His eyes locked with Kerri's when he entered, his heart beating faster still when he saw her. She was pressed up against a far corner, her eyes wide, Jake held against her chest.

Dean remained silent, scanning the small space for whatever had scared his friend. He signaled Sam, the younger man moving towards the small bathroom.

"Clear." He said, emerging from the small room a moment later.

Dean lowered his gun a little, moving quickly to Kerri. But she didn't flinch, her eyes still locked on something he could not see. "Kerri? Ker?"

But still nothing. A sudden, slow clapping made the hairs on the back of Dean's neck stand on end. He turned as quickly as he could, but it was already too late. He felt the gun being ripped from his hand a second before he was thrown into the wall, an invisible force holding him there. He watched as Sam flew into the opposite wall, he too pinned against it.

"I have to say, right up till a few minutes ago, I was impressed." A man sneered as he walked in the door, Dean's mind going into over drive when he saw the eyes. It wasn't possible. The last time they'd seen the Demon, it had been possessing his father. There was no reason it should have been here, now, in the middle of another hunt. Unless--.

"You set this whole thing up." Dean breathed, his voice deathly calm. He wasn't about to let the thing intimidate him.

"Very good. Kerri told me you were smart, but I gotta say, Dean, I was skeptical."

"What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want anything."

"Oh come on, the dimwitted bad guys always want something."

Dean bit back a scream when his stomach exploded in pain, all the air rushing from his lungs with the force. He groaned, blinking away the darkness, the invisible force the only thing keeping him on his feet.

"Now, now, Dean, you wouldn't want to force Kerri to watch someone else she loves die. Would you?" The Demon tilted his head at the question, the same way a child would after asking a question. But the twisted smile that graced the Demon's face was anything but childish.

Dean's heart began to race when he felt his feet leave the ground, his back scrapping against the peeling wallpaper and cracking plaster as he slide slowly up the wall. He tried to breath through the pain and the fear, but his lungs were unable to work properly beneath the Demon's force.

"Dean!" Sam yelled, trying to pull himself from the wall. "No! Stop!"

Dean closed his eyes, unable to look at his brother's face, unable to see the loss and fear that was reflected in his eyes. He heard Kerri groan beside him, her voice muffled and unintelligible. And Dean suddenly understood why she hadn't yet spoke-- she couldn't. Dean fought through the pain all around him, still refusing to let the bastard win, even as he felt himself sliding up the wall, facing the inevitable. But, a moment later, he stopped.

"Well now." The Demon began, Dean still fighting for breath as the weight continued to press down upon him, almost as though it was trying to crush him against the wall. "That was an ice breaker."

"Leave him alone." Sam shouted, his voice so much like John's that, for a second, Dean thought his father was back.

"Or what, Sammy, you'll think me to death?"

"You bastard."

"Oh, oh, careful now." The Demon smiled, Dean sliding up a bit more at Sam's outburst. "Wouldn't want to force me to do something stupid, would you."

"This isn't about Dean. Let him go."

"And Kerri?"

Kerri began to gasp after the Demon spoke, her grip on Jake loosening as she fought to breath.

"Stop!" Dean bit back against the pain in his chest, fighting the force that held him to the wall as Kerri continued to gasp. A second later, the Demon smiled again, Kerri beginning to cough as she finally pulled in a breath.

"You're just too easy, Dean."

"If you want to kill me, go ahead." Dean challenged, his voice quiet but still venomous.

"Dean, no!" Sam yelled, fighting against the invisible bonds with renewed strength.

"If I wanted you dead right now you'd be rotting on the floor already."

"Then what?"

"I'm crushed." The Demon stepped back, mocking indignation. "I'm not allowed to give an evil monologue with no purpose behind it? Well, I guess you do know me better then that. I do consider myself like family, you know. I mean, I watched little Sammy and Ev grow up, learn to ride bikes, fall in love. It really was quite touching.

"But, you see, now they're all grown up. Well, Sam is, Ev flamed out."

Dean heard Kerri grunt beside him, her eyes murderous, body shaking as she seethed with anger. She was very protective of Evelyn, always had been, and it was obvious from the words being spoken that the Demon knew that. He was playing with them all, but the question was, why?

"I had plans for her." The Demon spoke almost longly of Evelyn, his eyes drifting to Sam as he continued. "She was one of the better ones, like you, Sammy. She was destined for greatness until Kerri stepped in the way.

"You're father, hell, he would have been better off scratching his ass then searching for me. Man didn't have a clue. But then, Kerri went and blabbed, got her sister and daddy killed, and clued johnny into the world around him. She's the one that made him leave." The Demon spat, his eyes sliding from Sam to Dean. "She's the one that made your father abandon you, all because she couldn't face her own mistake.

"And it wasn't the first one either, was it, Kerri?"

Dean's eyes locked on Kerri's, tears streaming down her face as the Demon taunted her. It knew something, of that Dean was certain, but what he couldn't figure out. He'd known Kerri since they were children, had grown up with her, shared secrets with her, learned to live again with her. But now Dean was beginning to wonder just how much he really knew about his long time friend.

"So why set up this hunt, why go through all the trouble?" Sam asked, breaking Kerri free of the Demon's glare, though Dean continued to study her, as if seeing her for the first time.

"Honestly, I wanted to see your skills, Sammy. And Jake's as well. And I have to say, I'm impressed. You're what I want, Sam. You're what I need."

"I'm not like you. I'm not like the rest of them. I'm not--."

"Not what, a killer. Time changes the best of us. Besides, Sammy, this is only the beginning." With a wave of his hand, all three slammed into the walls with surprising force, each one falling into darkness, the Demon's yellow eyes vanishing as unconsciousness took the hunters.


	14. Chapter 14

_Here it is everyone, the last chapter of Not all as it seems. thank you all so much for sticking with the story, i hope you all enjoyed it. and thank you all once again for the great reviews, they mean the world to me. as always, let me know what you think. _

**NOT ALL AS IT SEEMS**

Chapter 14

Sam laid in the blissful darkness, his mind empty, body free of pain, free of fear. He was warm, safe, whole; the world outside the veil nothing but a fading memory. He could feel something pulling at him, trying to drag him back from the soothing envelop of nothingness he had found sanctuary in. He shrugged away from the nagging feeling, his mind fighting to remain in the darkness, even though he could feel the waking world pulling him back. There was fear there, uncertainty lurking in every corner. But here, in the darkness, all was well.

"Sa."

The small voice echoed to Sam, almost as though it was calling to him from across the distance of space, the last dying vestiges of a universe no one would remember. Slowly, Sam felt the damp carpet against his stomach, the heavy air assaulting his senses as the darkness began to dissipate.

"Sa." The small voice called again, his arm sliding uselessly across the molding floor as the small boy shook him again. "Sa."

And, in an instant, everything came back to the young hunter. Jake, the Korrigan, the Changeling, Dean, Kerri, and the Yellow Eyed Demon. The last time Sam had seen the little boy, he was in Kerri's arms, but now he was sitting beside him, tears running down his little face as he shook Sam again.

The young Winchester sprang up, the world around him tilting for a moment as he fought off a wave of nausea. So he had a concussion, wonderful, at least nothing else seemed to be out of place. He pulled the toddler up into his arms, Jake crying against his chest as Sam scanned the room. The door was wide open, swinging in an ever growing breeze, and the Yellow Eyed Demon had vanished. Making sure there was no longer a threat to face, Sam let his attention turn to his brother and Kerri.

Dean was laying on the ground, his body crumbled from what was at least a five foot fall from the wall. He was motionless, and Sam's heart beat faster and faster with each step he took toward the older man. Sam had watched his entire life flash before his eyes when Dean was pushed up the wall, all of the younger man's resolve melting away when he was faced with the reality of life without his brother. He couldn't do it, of that Sam was certain, and he prayed to god that Dean was still alive.

He let out a long sigh of relief when he reached the older man, Dean stirring beneath his brother's hands as Sam checked him over. "Dean?"

"What the hell happened?" Dean moaned, pushing himself up on his knees.

Sam could see understanding dawn on his brother as the events of the night ran back through his mind. He still couldn't believe that the Yellow Eyed Demon had been here, that it had been behind the whole hunt in the first place. And, judging by the look on his brother's face, Dean couldn't believe it either. A second later, though, their minds switched to Kerri.

She hadn't said a word since they found her, and Sam was terrified the Demon had done something to her that wouldn't be reversible. Sam had seen absolute terror reflected in her eyes, her entire body shaking when she looked at the Demon. And then, the thing had spoken. But demons lie, Sam knew that, at least, that's what he told himself over and over again. There was no way Kerri would purposefully make John leave, knowingly taking him from Dean. No, there had to be something else, another explanation.

Then again, Sam didn't really know Kerri, neither of them did. Yes, they'd grown up with her, and she was one of the the closest people in Dean's life, but that had been twelve long years ago, and now, well now she was more of a mystery. Hell, Sam had even managed to forget her all together. And, while that wasn't right or fair, it was the way their lives had turned out, and Sam knew that, no matter how much he wanted to, there was no way to change the past.

He pulled Jake back up into his arms, rubbing soothing circles around the little boy's back as Dean moved to Kerri. She was laying on the other side of one of the beds, her lean body hidden from view. She had yet to move, yet to make a sound, and Sam was afraid that the silence around them wouldn't be breakable. She had been alone with the Demon for hours, and Sam couldn't even begin to guess what it had done to her in that time. She was already sick, already weakened because of another hunt they had forced her into, and the younger Winchester didn't know how much more his friend could take.

Sam was brought back into the moment by Dean's voice, his brother sounding far younger then he ever had before. His usually gruff voice was soft against the smothering darkness of the abandoned motel, the heavy air muffling all that was around them, wrapping them in a fog, taking them even further away from the fringe they were already on.

"Kerri?" Dean asked, brushing back her long hair. She was still motionless, her skin pale beneath Dean's touch, but Sam could see that she was breathing and, at the moment, it was enough for him. "Come on, Kerri, open your eyes."

"Dean?" Kerri stirred a few minuted later, her voice so quiet that Sam nearly missed it.

She stirred a little, rolling onto her back as she looked up at Dean. Sam could see the confusion written all over her face, her mind coming back slowly from whatever darkness she had been lost to. "What happened?"

"Yellow Eyes paid us a visit." Dean stated, checking over Kerri as he spoke.

The instant he mentioned the Demon's name, though, Sam saw something change in Kerri. She sat up so quick, that she nearly head butted Dean in the process, her blue eyes darting around the room frantically, almost as though she expected the Demon to be standing there, waiting for her. Sam could see his brother tense at Kerri's reaction, his hands flying to her shoulders, soothing words growing louder as they both watched panic fall over her like a fog.

"Hey, Ker, it's ok, it's gone."

But Kerri remained silent, her eyes continuing to dart around the room as her body began to shiver. She looked back and forth from Dean to the wall, tremors wreaking havoc on her frame, her eyes growing wider and wider as she continued to free fall. Sam had never seen the older girl so terrified in all his life. She had always been stronger, always been quieter, stoic in her views of both the light and the dark. Now, though, for the first time ever, she was truly and utterly afraid.

"Kerri." Dean began again, his hands on her shoulders, holding her tight as he spoke. "Kerri, you have to listen to me. It's gone. I'm here, we're all here. Just breath, ok. I'm not gonna let it get you."

"How're you gonna stop it?" Kerri asked, her voice still surprisingly weak, though the tremors were beginning to lessen.

Sam's entire body went cold at the statement. It was something he'd asked Kerri when they'd first returned, a fear he'd voiced that long gone night. Dean wasn't immortal, and no matter what Sam thought as a child, his brother wasn't superman. Something was going to kill him, it was just a matter of when. And, when it came to the Yellow Eyed Demon, Sam had no idea how his brother would ever beat it. Yes, it had left him alive twice now, but he was certain that, when the thing finally decided to end the older Winchester's life, it would do so in the blink of an eye.

"I will." The statement was so final, so strong, that, for a moment, Sam believed it. But he'd seen Dean that night, had watched in horror as his brother was pulled helplessly up the wall. He'd seen it happen to Jessica, and he knew that Kerri had watched it happen to Evelyn. When the Demon came for those it chose, there was nowhere to run.

"Where is it?" Kerri asked, her voice growing a bit stronger. She seemed to be latching onto Dean's statement, pulling all the strength she could from him, letting his words wash over her, keep her safe. And Sam felt himself doing the same thing. Something would take his brother away from them, it was inevitable, but Dean's words, Dean's soul were enough to bury those fears-- for a little while at least.

"I don't know. Did it say anything to you before we got here?"

"Oh my god, Jake. Where is he?" Kerri suddenly looked around, her voice taking on a frantic tone.

"I've got him." Sam broke it, turning so she could see Jake's tear streaked face. "He's alright."

"The Korrigan?"

"He got it." Dean answered, pulling Kerri to her feet. "It's over."

"And Jake's fine?"

"Yeah. Scared as hell and super psychic but otherwise alright."

Sam was a bit taken aback at his brother's tone, the older man not looking at Jake or Sam as he spoke. The younger Winchester knew his brother kept a lot bottled up, but ever since they had learned of Jake's abilities he'd seen a change. Dean, who'd been best buddies with the little boy, now seemed to shy away from him, building walls against the child he had previously been so open around.

"It was lying."

"What was lying?"

"The Demon. It told me that if the Korrigan died, so would Jake."

"Did it say anything else?"

"Just that it was here to check up on Jake and Sam."

"So this really was just a test for us." Dean began, scanning the room around them, starting down each and every shadow as if willing the Demon to attack again.

Sam knew his brother was effected by the mind games the creature played on them, knew his brother took them to heart, and let them warp and grow in his already troubled mind. No matter how many walls Dean put around himself, no matter how many defenses he laid on the way to his heart, Sam could always see right through him. Dean never let it show, but it was obvious to the younger Winchester that the things the Demon said cut his brother to the core.

They had more important things to worry about, though, and Sam knew that time was running out for them at that moment. They were still on the FBI's most wanted list, and, Demon interference or not, they still had a reportedly kidnapped child with them. They had to find some way to get Jake back to his parents, then they had to put as much distance between them and Colorado as they could.

"Any ideas on how we're gonna get Jake back?" Sam spoke up, the trio already heading toward the impala.

"Let's head back to the room and get packed up." Dean began, his hand on the back of Kerri's neck, trying to comfort her as they walked. "I think one of us should take Kerri's car and just drop him off somewhere we know he'll be found."

"There was a church out on the south side of town, seems like as good a place as any."

"Alright. Sammy, I want you to run there with Jake, Kerri and I will meet you out in Laramie."

666666666666

Kerri sat in the passenger seat of the impala, her heart racing as the car charged down the dark highway. She could still see those sickly yellow eyes, still hear the Demon's voice, the sounds boring into her heart, wrapping around her soul. She couldn't believe it had come back again, after all this time, after Evelyn. Kerri thought she was done with the creature, thought that that night was the last time she would be forced into its presence. But now she was terrified she was wrong.

"You ok?" Dean asked, his voice breaking the heavy silence that had wrapped around her.

She wanted to tell him no, wanted to tell him about the Demon, about what had happened, but she couldn't. She was different enough as is, lonely enough and the last thing she wanted to do was give Dean a reason to leave. After all, she'd told John her secret, and look were that got them.

"Yeah, Dean, I'm fine."

The music on the radio changed before either of them had a chance to speak. The rock beats that had been pumping out before were suddenly replaced by a series of chimes, followed shortly by the way too chipper voice of a reporter.

"A happy ending to what could have been a terrible tragedy. Missing toddler Jacob Robinson was found mere hours ago at the old church down on Mission road. Police don't know how the little boy ended up there, but the boy appeared to be doing well and has since been reunited with his grief stricken parents. There are no new leads in the case, but police insist they will continue on with their investigation."

"Well." Dean began, switching off the radio as the report changed into a series of interviews. "At least something went right, tonight."

"Yeah. It doesn't change who he is, though." Kerri knew that the reality of what Jake really was had taken a toll on her friend. Dean never let it show, but ever since he learned that all the six month babies were psychic, including his brother, Dean had never really been the same. And Kerri could understand.

It was like having the rug ripped out from beneath you; everything you believed, everything you cherished, gone with one secret. She had known Sam since he was a baby, had watching him and Evelyn grow up, the pair a little oasis of normal in the twisted world of hunters. So, to hear that that normal, that comfort, was actually the reason for everything, that it was actually a supernatural power stronger then they could have imagined, was more then a little heartbreaking.

"We'll keep an eye on him." Dean spoke evenly, still staring out the windscreen. "We'll find a way to stop it, Kerri. We've still got time."

"The last twenty years didn't really seem to make much of a difference."

"I know. Ker." Dean began, glancing at her before turning his troubled eyes back to the road. "I can't let it win, I can't let it get, Sammy. I can't."

She knew what he meant, knew what he couldn't say. He could never be like her, never be alone, forgotten, left behind. And she didn't blame him. Being the one left behind was like a never ending nightmare. She would often wake up in the middle of the night, and swear that her family was still there, somewhere in the house, like always. But reality fell down upon her as the darkness dissipated. She was alone, and that's all she ever would be.

And, in that moment, Kerri decided that some secrets are better left hidden, because, now that she had the brothers back, there was no way she was going to risk losing them again.


End file.
